Withdraw hasty and illegal clearance to GM Field trials

Swadeshi Jagaran Manch strongly condemns the hasty illegal and anti-people decision to allow field trials of more than 200 transgenic varieties of various crops including rice, wheat and maize; disregarding the fact that the matter is sub-judice under the Hon'ble Supreme Court of India that has clearly recommended a moratorium on these field trials to ensure bio-safety. Hon'ble Supreme Court constituted a Technical Expert Committee (TEC), comprising of top agricultural scientists to look into the matter related to field trials of GM crops. It is notable that after TEC had given its recommendations, the government had resisted to give permission of the field trials of GM crops. The clearance to field trials was given in unaccountable and questionable manner as no material change did take place since the moratorium was imposed by Technical Experts Committee.

There is unanimity amongst the independent agricultural scientists about the dangers of GM food and scientific community world over is very apprehensive and worried about the contamination of food crops with genetic engineering and hazardous chemicals that come along with it and endanger the food system, besides adversely affecting the environment. Strong and effectives resistance by Swadeshi Jagaran Manch along with others stake holders had ensured that Supreme Court of India was seized of the seriousness of the matter and instructed government to ensure bio-safety even during the field trails in view of the mounting evidence on inefficiency and inadequacy of regulatory system in our country. It was in this background that the government accepted the Supreme Court directive.

Veerapa Moily has taken this drastic anti-people decision without explaining reasons behind the same. It is clear that biotech multi-national companies have succeeded in influencing this vital decision that impinges upon our food security. This is also evident from the fact that the present government has already completed its term and has no moral authority to take such a drastic step.

Swadeshi Jagaran Manch calls upon the people the India to resist such illegal, immoral decision of the outgoing government and demands from the government to withdraw this hasty decision to allow field trials of more than 200 varieties of GM crops.

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