Bt Brinjal violates our right to safe food, say youngsters

New Delhi, Jan 30 (IANS) "Better fast today, than eat GM food tomorrow", so said the banners held up by youngsters protesting against the possible introduction of genetically modified Bt Brinjal for commercial cultivation.

Nayani Nasa of 'Youth for Safe Food' group said: "We have the right to safe food and genetically modified (GM) food likes the Bt Brinjal violates that. The multinationals have been wooing the farmers saying that GM seeds would give good produce and will not be infested by insects."	 	
"Can you imagine how poisonous those seeds must be that not even insects can infest them," she added.	 	
The 30-odd protestors plan to send a banner signed by them and others to Minister of State for Environment and Forests Jairam Ramesh. Nasa said the aim of the protest is to keep up the pressure on the government. 	 	
"The government can't be expected to do anything if we don't build pressure on it," she added	 	
Another protestor Mohit Verma said: "We especially chose today (Martyr's Day) for our protest because GM food is harmful and is against Mahatma Gandhi's principles." 	 	
Rashpal Kaur, who belongs to the National Federation of Indian Women, said they have been screening filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt's documentary 'Poison on my Plate' among various groups to spread the message against genetically modified food.	 	
The central environment ministry is holding public consultations in various Indian cities to decide if they will allow commercial release of Bt Brinjal. Last October, the Genetic Engineering Approval Committee of the government had cleared it. 	 	
But a member of the committee, Pushpa Bhargava, has alleged that all necessary tests were not carried out before the decision was taken. 	 	
Earlier, in January hundreds of farmers and scientists protested against the introduction of Bt Brinjal during a public meeting held in Kolkata in the presence of central Minister Jairam Ramesh. 	 	
Several scientists and green groups have raised concerns about the use of bio-technology and the environment friendliness of this new agricultural produce, citing fears of health security.