Scientists, farmers, political leaders, farmer unions, civil society organisations and students demanded that GMO technology should be banned in food crops. They have also demanded that the Centre should withdraw permission for GM mustard crop.
National Safe Food Day meet was organised jointly by Rythu Swarajya Vedika, Jan Vignana Vedika, Telangana Vidyavantula Vedika, National Alliance of People’s Movements here on Friday at Sundarayya Vignana Kendram.
A meeting was organised on “Dangers of GM Food Crops.” Farmers, scientists, professors, students and social activists participated along with leaders of political parties, farmer unions and people’s organisations. The meeting was accompanied by a poster exhibition and signature campaign on GM mustard, followed by a short rally around Sundarayya Park with slogans, banners and placards.
The event is part of a nationwide mobilisation on the occasion of National Safe Food Day, to raise voice against Genetically Modified Mustard crop which recently received approval for environmental release. Events across the country include rallies, round-table meetings, mustard diversity festivals, candlelight vigils, press meets, and submission of memorandum to District Collectors.
Speakers recalled that on February 9, 2010, the Union government through Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh declared a moratorium on Bt Brinjal – after an outcry at public hearings across the country from farmers, scientists, environmentalists, health experts, consumer organisations and concerned citizens. They demanded prompt action by Central and State governments to revoke the approval to GM mustard, and stop GM food crops.
The meeting was presided by eminent social activist Dr. Rukmini Rao associated with MAKAAM and other organisations. Vissa Kiran Kumar of Rythu Swarajya Vedika explained about the inherent risks of GM crops, the flawed testing and regulatory process exposed during the BT brinjal saga but without improvement until now, the problems with herbicide-tolerant crops, and how GM mustard will open the doors for many other GM food crops in the pipeline, such as rice, maize, wheat, jowar, pulses, potato and groundnut.
Prof. Soma Marla, retired principal scientist and head (Genomics) from Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) presented about the issues with GM mustard, the nature of genetic modifications involved, and how the regulatory and testing mechanisms are highly compromised under pressure of biotech industry.
Prof. M. Kodandaram of Telangana Jana Samiti said that technologies like GM crops and non-local crops like oil-palm are being pushed by governments under the pressure of corporates, without consulting farmers. In the process, the local diverse food systems are being undermined. Instead, governments should invest in strengthening and promoting locally suitable and valuable crops such as the tur dal (red gram) of Tandur, green gram of Adilabad, sesame which used to be grown in Mancherial, and so on. The Adani saga has shown that when governments work at the behest of big corporates, the nation suffers the losses.
Other speakers included Prof. B.N.Reddy and Dr. Koya Venkateswara Rao of Jana Vigyana Vedika, Ambati Nagayya of Telangana Vidyavantula Vedika, B.Kondal and Sreeharsha from Rythu Swarajya Vedika, noted writer and social activist K.Sajaya, R.Venkat Reddy of Telangana Social Democratic Forum, and B.Reshma, Ph.D. scholar from Hyderabad Central University.
