12 Greenpeace activists held for trespassing into FCI godown

Twelve Greenpeace India activists were today detained for allegedly trespassing into an FCI godown here, police said today. Greenpeace activists were protesting against the position taken by Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar, who has been in support of research in genetically modified (GM) crops. "12 persons were taken into custody and booked under Section 448/34 of the IPC, which deals with trespass. All the 12 are being released on bail," a senior police official said. The activists trespassed into a Food Corporation of India (FCI) godown located at Mayapuri area, he said. Condemning the detention, social activist Aruna Roy said in a statement issued by the Greenpeace India the detention was one more in a series of actions taken to suppress dissent. "They were in fact protesting against the Minister's attempt to trivialise the issue of food security by asserting that the controversial GM technology would, in fact, offer security of food production," she said. Greenpeace India also sought intervention of the Envirnoment Minister so that the Agriculture Ministry does not mislead the debate on food security. FCI is a nodal agency that procures, stores and distributes foodgrains through ration shops on behalf of the government.