New Delhi, October 16, 2011: Delhiites from all walks of life under the banner of Alliance for Safe Food joined Greenpeace at the Dastakar Mela today to make a unique Rangoli out of organic vegetables and indigenous seeds, which read 'Yes to Safe Food, No to BRAI'. This protest on World Food day is a part of an ongoing nation-wide struggle against genetically modified (GM) crops and the Biotechnology Regulatory Authority of India [BRAI] Bill,2011, that the government is proposing to table in the upcoming Winter session of Parliament.
The BRAI bill, 2011, which was scheduled to be tabled in the last Monsoon session saw massive public opposition as it plans to ensure a centralised, non-transparent single window clearance system for promoting/clearing Genetically Modified [GM] crops in the country.
“Given that there is so much scientific evidence on the potential impact of GM crops on health and environment, our government coming up with a regulatory system like the BRAI, which lowers the barrier for safety with respect to GM crops is nothing less than a national tragedy.” said Neha Saigal, Sustainable Agriculture campaigner, Greenpeace India. She further stated, “If BRAI is on, safe food is out.”
The day also saw a street theatre group from Beej Bachao Andolan engaging the thousands who had come for the Dastakar mela on the dangers of GM food and the need to promote ecologically sustainable farming and food. “Genetically modified crops are not just a threat to our rich and diverse seed heritage but also to the farming communities who have saved them for centuries and their very livelihoods. It is only the giant multinational seed corporations like Monsanto, which stand to benefit from the introduction of GM crops,” said Ajay Mahajan from Beej Bachao Andolan. He questioned the government's policy to promote GM crops mindlessly through regulations like BRAI and questioned their integrity to Indian public.
Besides the exclusion of long-term biosafety assessments for GM crops, the BRAI has also been dubbed as an unconstitutional bill as it overrides the citizens' Right To Information and can withhold from public critical information on GM crops like biosafety assessment studies by terming them as commercial confidential information. All this has lead to widespread rejection of the Government's BRAI proposal. The latest development being the letter that the Consumer Coordination Council, the umbrella organization of all consumer groups in the country, has sent to the Prime Minister asking him not to table BRAI in its current form. The CCC in its letter highlighted the concerns of the Indian consumer on GM food and questioned the very need for GM food when there are other safer alternatives available.
On the World Food day, groups across the country reiterated their demand to the Indian government to safeguard the health of the citizens and environment from GM crops. They also urged the government to table a legislation to protect and enhance biosafety in the place of BRAI and to ensure democratic processes are adhered to when dealing with issues as important as food and farming in our country.
Note to Editor:
1- Link to the BRAI Bill: http://www.prsindia.org/uploads/media/Biotech/Biotech%20Regulatory%20Auhority%20Bill,%202011.pdf
2- Link to the critique of the bill: http://www.greenpeace.org/india/Global/india/Critiques%20to%20the%20new%20draft%20BRAI%20bill.pdf
3- A copy of the CCC letter to the Prime Minister can be found at: http://www.greenpeace.org/india/Global/india/ccc%20letter.pdf
Contact:
Neha Saigal, Sustainable Agriculture Campaigner, Greenpeace India –
email: 
, Mob: +91 7760968772
Pari Trivedi, Media Officer, Greenpeace India –
email: 
, Mob: +91 7503893981