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GM Crops

Brinjal is the first genetically modified crop set to be decided for commercialization and the process of deciding it has raised the question: “Who to decide on GM crops?”

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Who To Decide On GM Crops?

By John B. Monteiro

 “I am sorry, I don’t want to talk to health patients and you require mental help.” – Union Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh on being called an “agent of Monsanto” by Santosh, an Ayurvedic doctor, at the seventh and final public consultation meet on Bt Brinjal held in Bangalore on February 6, 1010.

 Genetically modified (GM) crops evoke extreme positions – for and against. The question basically is who should decide on introducing – the scientists or the janata (which means popular vote or politicization). In India, the concerned scientific body, the Genetic Engineering Approval Committee, has allowed the commercial cultivation of Bt Brinjal, the first such food crop sought to be introduced in India. Despite this approval by a designated body, the minister has opted to go through the motions of developing a consensus through seven consultation meetings across the country. He has now promised that his ministry will take the final call on the subject on February 10. On the challenge before him, he said at the Bangalore meet: “I cannot ignore science or public opinion and have to walk a fine line between the two. Thus, even after the final verdict, the arguments are bound to continue, specially because there are other crops waiting in the line to switch over to the GM bandwagon – with powerful lobbies pushing for the conversion. What are these arguments for and against? Here are some sound-bites.

 Claude Alvares, the Goan environmentalist and director of Organic Farming Association of India: The question on everyone’s lips is why the government of India (GOI) so keen to allow powerful, undesirable and ruthless US corporations like Monsanto (represented within the country by companies like Mahyco) to privatize the basis of our food production system – the seed. Monsanto has gone on record saying that it is working towards creating a world in which all farmers everywhere will only use Monsanto seed (and naturally pay it fees for doing so). Since when did Monsanto’s aims become those of the GOI as well?…Imagine a situation in which more than 50 of India’s food and commercial crops come under the ownership of one or two or three companies because they carry willy-nilly proprietary genetic material and every seed for these crops will carry  a tax to be paid to Monsanto, Cargill or their agents. Can someone tell me how this predictable scenario is incorrect, false, distant, unrealistic?

 Prakash M. Salimath, Director of Research, University of Agricultural Science (UAS), Dharwad, who is heading a team of scientists which has developed pest-resistant brinjals: 30-50 chemical sprays are applied to control FSB, but Bt requires only 3 to 4. No shoot infestation in Bt varieties cultivated by UAS. Over 95% of Bt brinjal found marketable compared to 30-45 % in non-Bt varieties.

 Prof. G K Veeresh, former VC of USA, Bangalore and president of the Association for Promoting Organic Farming: No farmer, consumer or government had expressed problem in managing brinjal crop. Bt technology is effective only against the borer, while brinjal has many more pests. India has varieties of brinjal. Once Bt variety is introduced, the local varieties may be wiped out (Please read the following human interest story on Udupi Mattu Gulla).

 Mohan Bhagwat, RSS Supremo: India which has been facing the menace of   infiltration of terrorists now faces the threat to its traditional seed bank due to the entry of foreign products like Bt brinjal. The country had more than 10,000 varieties which had been harvested by farmers. Over the years, more than 6,000 varieties of seeds have been stolen from our land. The remaining varieties now face the same threat.

 The subject is open to many views. What are yours? Over to you.

 Brinjal’s Divine Angle

(ND Shiv Kumar, writing in The Times of India (8-2-10) under the title Its Impact on Lord Krishna, puts the subject in another perspective.)

 Bt brinjal affects Udupi Lord Krishna too. He has been savouring Mattu Gulla, a unique variety, for the past four centuries. Grown only in Udupi district, this variety is cherished for its taste, flavour and fewer seeds. “There are cultural and religious aspects too. What do we offer to LordKrishna of Udupi, if our native brinjal is genetically modified?”, asked State’s Organic Farming Mission’s chairman AS Anand.

 The legend reflects the traditional belief of the Madhwa community, followers of Vaisnavite saint Sri Madhawacharya, who established eight Mutts in Udupi. In the 16^th century, Sode Mutt pontiff Vadiraja Swamy would offer ‘Hayagreeva’ (offering) to the golden idol of Lord Hayavardana, who’d eat it by assuming the form of a horse and leave some behind for Vadiraja. Some people doubted this. One day, they poisoned the hayagreeva which the lord ate. As he didn’t leave the prasadam, it puzzled Vadiraja. The lord explained the incident and said the poison would make his golden idol turn blue.

 He asked Vadiraja to offer a preparation made from a special type of brinjal – gulla. Vadiraja instructed the people of Mattu (hence the name Mattu Gulla) to cultivate gulla. Once it was offered, the lord’s idol regained its original golden color. However, a blue mark remained on the neck as a reminder. This golden idol of Lord Hayavardana with the blue mark is worshipped at the Sode Mutt in Udupi. On the paryaya (ascension to Krishna Mutt as mutt head which happens once in two years) the tradition of offering Mattu Gulla to Lord Krishna continues.

 Tenali Rama Connection

Sri Krisnadevaraya, the Vijayanagara emperor, had superior quality brinjal in his private garden, but no one was allowed there. Tenali Rama (the famed courtier), who tasted it, couldn’t stop singing its praises to his wife who yearned to eat it. He stole a few brinjals and his wife wanted her 6-year-old son to taste it. Rama thought of a way to avoid being caught. He poured water on his son, who was sleeping on the terrace and took him inside, saying it was raining. The child tasted the brinjal.

 The king came to know of the theft. A minister, Appaji, suspected only Tenali Rama was capable of it. He told the king about it, who decided to trap Rama through his son. The child revealed he’d eaten the brinjal the previous night.

 Rama stood his ground and said his son must have dreamt of eating it. To prove this, he told Appaji to ask the boy if it had rained the previous night. The child said it rained so heavily that all his clothes were wet. Appaji apologised to Rama for suspecting him.