Swadeshi Jagaran Manch demands ban on glyphosate

Swadeshi Jagaran Manch (SJM), the economic wing of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), has sought a ban on glyphosate in India.

Expressing concern over the use of herbicide in India, SJM national co-convener Ashwani Mahajan in a press release on Friday said it is not licensed for use in India but is being used unnecessarily.

"The Prime Minister of India will certainly listen to citizens' wishes on a subject like this, and ensure those policy decisions are in public interest," Mahajan said.

He also said the SJM's petition has been supported by 1.12 lakh people to push for the banning the herbicide.

"Glyphosate is also associated with autism, reproductive health impacts, and developmental impacts, etc. Herbicides as technology would spell a death knell for the employment potential that exists for poor rural women in agriculture," said Kavitha Kuruganti of Alliance for Sustainable and Holistic Agriculture (ASHA).

Moreover, BJP leader Murali Manohar Joshi said, "A ban on glyphosate should not need any scientific inquiries or debates since the case for banning it is very strong and straightforward."

Rakesh Tikait, national spokesperson of Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU), said: "Unaware farmers are being lured into technology traps. They take advice from industry input dealers where the government extension system is failing in taking the correct advisories to farmers."

"If farmers know what lies in store for their resources, economics, and health, by generating an informed public debate on this matter, they themselves will resist this," he said.