In a bid to celebrate the goodness of Indian mustard and to protect it from Genetically Modified (GM) mustard, ‘Vasanta Utsava – Sasive Habba’ was celebrated on Sunday in Lalbagh to mark the end of National Safe Food Week. The event was organised by citizens of ‘India for Safe Food’ in collaboration with Jaivik Mall, an organic outlet located in Lalbagh.
“Our mustard is 6,000 years old. India’s gene banks have a collection of at least 14,000 accessions of Brassica germplasm (mustard and rapeseed) out of which at least 4,000 are indigenous Indian mustard varieties — such is the wide diversity of mustard for which India is a centre of diversity. This great diversity is going to be contaminated irreversibly with GM mustard, which is unnecessary, unwanted and unsafe,” said the organisers.
Along with a sample of diverse varieties of mustard from the country, various dishes from different regions were on display at the Habba. The visitors were also given a chance to sample the dishes. The importance of mustard oil cakes and mustard plants in ecological agriculture was explained by organic farming experts.
The event caught the attention of the visitors of Lalbagh who also took part in an open mic session where they shared the stories they had heard about mustard. Some citizens also signed a cloth banner urging the government to protect Indian mustard and not allow GM mustard in the State. Theatre personality Arundati Nag also took part in the event.
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