Why Media debates on ‘banning field trials of GM crop’ went haywire?

New Delhi, August 2: The media debates on demands by organizations opposing ‘field trials’ of GM crops have not only made the issue political but lost a needed discourse on the topic which encircles concerns related to bio technology, health and environment. Instead of discussing the issue of ‘Genetically Modified’ (GM) crops and their trials methodology, majority media houses projected the issue as a rift between the affiliate organizations of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and its pressure tactic on the Government.

The primary debate of whether the field trials of GM Crop be allowed or not, got a momentum when in a meeting on July 18, the statutory panel Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee recommended that field trials be allowed for 13 GM crops including rice, brinjal, chickpea, mustard and cotton. The delegation of the alert organizations like Bharatiya Kisan Sangh and Swadeshi Jagran Manch met the Environment Minister and drew attention to the 59th report of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Agriculture, tabled in the 15th Lok Sabha, which recommended "stopping of all field trials under any garb".

The delegation also drew attention to the recommendations of the SC-appointed technical expert committee comprising eminent scientists in the field of biotechnology and agriculture. Five of the six experts involved in the report had suggested a moratorium on field trials in the absence of a strong regulatory mechanism in India and strongly opposed any open release of GM crops until a robust regulatory mechanism is put in place.

Bharatiya Kisan Sangh, a premier organization of farmers across the nation, has categorically said that it is not against the trials of the GM crops. Dinesh Kulkarni, Organizing secretary of the BKS, told NewsBharati that the trials of genetically modified crops in controlled environment are welcome; but their trials on field should be banned considering a greater risk to the ecology. Kulkarni emphasized the need to understand basic difference between the Field trial and trials in controlled environment.

The Swadeshi Jaran Manch also said that moratorium on open field trials of GM food crops was the result of long and difficult struggle by people of India including Swadeshi Jagran Manch, farmers, scientific experts, consumers activists and other stakeholders. The Supreme Court of India has also been of the clear view that no hasty decision in this regard shall be taken that puts the health of people and soil at risk, says SJM.

Clearing the air, Environment minister Prakash Javadekar told the Parliament that the government has decided to keep in abeyance the decision by the statutory committee of genetic engineering to allow field trials of 13 genetically modified or GM crops, a clarification that marks a departure from the previous Congress led UPA government's policy.
Javadekar gave this assurance to representatives of the Swadeshi Jagran Manch and Bharatiya Kisan Sangh at a meeting held on Tuesday.

However, Environment Minister on Twitter said, "Field trials of GM crops are not a government decision. It is a recommendation of a committee."

Field trials of #GMCrops is not a Government Decision. It is a recommendation of a Committee.

— Prakash Javadekar (@PrakashJavdekar) July 21, 2014

The panel's decisions are recommendatory in nature and the final decision lies with the environment ministry. Javadekar's position was that of the science and technology minister Jitendra Singh who had earlier stressed those decisions would be taken on a scientific basis.

All of a sudden the some media elements jumped into the issue and started their own trial to corner the BJP and the Government on the grounds that both organizations demanding ban on field trials of GM Crops, being affiliates of the RSS. The media projected the issue on the much-loved line that RSS has started dictating its terms to the Government.

Ironically while waving their swords on RSS, BJP and the Government, the Media Moguls forgot to check the fact that the Government’s stand is actually in line with BJP's election manifesto which says - “Genetically Modified (GM) foods will not be allowed without full scientific evaluation on its long-term effects on soil, production and biological impact on consumers.” The BJP, before gaining power, was well convinced that no field trials of GM crops will be allowed.

Genetically Modified Crops: Fact Sheet

The issue of GM crops is pending before the Supreme Court, which is hearing a public interest litigation since 2005 submitted by groups of NGOs led by activist Aruna Rodrigues calling for the government to place a moratorium on biotech crops until new regulations for plant biotechnology are established.