10 reasons why we should say no to bt brinjal

Here are at least 10 reasons why we should say NO to BT Brinjal:--

1. GM crops are created by the unnatural insertion of foreign genes into host DNA of a
Plant, which leads to numerous unpredictable changes that are potentially dangerous for
Health. BT Brinjal has been artificially created by insertion of a bacterial gene to produce a toxin 24X7 inside the plant to target one pest—the Brinjal
Fruit & Shoot Borer (it has to be noted that while many pests and diseases attack the
Crop, this technology is claimed as a solution to one such pest).

2. There are many unaddressed questions with regard to the very need of this BT Brinjal.
The National Agricultural Research System as well as many practicing farmers has
enormous knowledge on successful, sustainable and economically viable pest
management without the use of synthetic pesticides2. In the face of such
alternatives, it is not clear why the GM option (with the claim that it will bring down
pesticide usage) is being pushed. Further, no one can argue that BT Brinjal would be an
answer to the hunger crisis!

3. India is the Centre of Origin/Diversity of Brinjal (more than 2500 varieties) and no
GM version of any crop has been introduced in its Centre of Origin/Diversity anywhere in
the world. This diversity—national heritage---is now under great threat from BT Brinjal.
Remember, brinjal is also a crop of great socio-cultural significance to Indians.

4. Health implications of BT Brinjal—No independent research to prove the safety of BT
Brinjal exists. All decision-making happened based on the crop-developer’s (i.e.
Monsanto/Mahyco’s) data. Further, no long-term (i.e., 90 days plus) or human feeding
Studies exist. This BT Brinjal also contains anti-biotic resistant genes and poses serious
public health concerns with the possibility of ‘horizontal gene transfer’3. What’s more?
independent analyses of the crop developer’s biosafety data concluded that this BT
Brinjal is unsafe and unfit for human consumption.

5. With BT Cotton (the only approved GM crop in India), there are several reports
Of adverse animal and health impacts (including animal deaths) that have not been
systematically investigated. Further, from various studies, GM foods are known to cause
allergies, immune system changes, damage to organs like kidneys and liver, affect
growth and metabolism and impact reproductive health adversely.

6. Looking at another agricultural technology – synthetic pesticides – we need to remember
that even here, many chronic and other health impacts were never assessed adequately.
The same players who gave the world such toxic pesticides are now pushing
GM seeds saying that pesticides are toxic for us – agreed, wholeheartedly – but
without closing down their agrichemical businesses.

7. If BT Brinjal is approved, we, as consumers, will have no way of knowing whether the
Brinjal we consume daily is GM or not, as all brinjals in the market will look the same.
This will be a violation of every consumer’s right to know, right to safe food
and right to choose which food she/he wants to eat. Further, labelling cannot be a
solution for India where the majority of consumption is of unpackaged foods in the open
market and from local mandis.

8. Bt Brinjal has not been assessed for its impact on Indian Systems of Medicine (ISM).
Brinjal and related species are used widely in Ayurveda and other medicinal systems.
One can hence not predict whether the entry of BT Brinjal would make ISM
medicines/practices ineffective or even toxic!

9. If BT Brinjal is approved, this will open the way for rapid approvals of other GM food
crops. There are at least 55 plants being developed in India through genetic modification
including rice, cabbage, bhindi, cauliflower, tomato etc. An approval to BT Brinjal will
open up the floodgates of other approvals and the GM industry is very keen on
bringing in this BT Brinjal as the Trojan horse.

10. The constitution and functioning of the Expert Committee set up to study BT
Brinjal, as also the haste with which the Genetic Engineering Approval Committee has
cleared the crop is itself questionable on fundamental scientific and democratic grounds.
Several State governments have written to the Centre to express their concern and some
have declared a ban on BT Brinjal in their states, given that Agriculture and Health are
state subjects as per the Constitution of India. For their constitutional right over their
agriculture to be upheld, no BT Brinjal should be allowed anywhere in the country.

Now is the time when the Government of India needs to show whether it
believes in (and supports) sustainable development or not. A precautionary
approach is the only way forward to uphold the best interests of Indian
farmers and consumers in this matter - the Government should not allow this
unnecessary BT Brinjal, particularly because safer, viable and more
sustainable alternatives exist.