Jairam Ramesh at public consultations in Ahmedabad
In the first session, out of 28 farmers who got to speak, 18 rejected Bt brinjal. In the second session, where scientists expressed their views and feedback, an overwhelming 13 scientists out of 15 scientists who spoke, took a stand against the entry of Bt Brinjal.
The minister spoke to an audience of over 500 stakeholders inside the auditorium while another 700 stood outside, waiting to be heard.
A young student from Ahmedabad presents Jairam Ramesh with a variety of non-Bt brinjal.
‘Let me choose what I eat’, ‘We are no lab rats’, ‘GM food an attack on the environment’ were some of the messages given to the Minister as he walked into the consultation. A young student from Ahmedabad also presented Jairam Ramesh with a varied variety of non-Bt brinjal reminding him that the future of India lies in his hands.
Within minutes of the Minister walking into the room, he suggested that Ahmedabad was important because Bt Cotton was successful here. The farmers and the scientists were equivocal in their opposition to the Bt Brinjal. Some even suggested that the seed manufacturers and the GEAC members should be made to eat Bt Brinjals for two years before it was introduced to the general public.
In turn, Jairam Ramesh assured that the ministry was in no hurry to come to a conclusion, and would not take a decision in a closed room.’
These three consultations seem to have set the mood for the remaining ones. As we move ahead, we hope to hear a lot more NOs to Bt Brinjal.
Team Ahmedabad
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- A young student from Ahmedabad presents Jairam Ramesh with a variety of non-Bt brinjal.
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- Jairam Ramesh speaks to the stakeholders at Ahmedabad.
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- Consumer representatives, youth, women, farmers, NGOs, scientists and academicians brandish banners and placards as they wait outside the auditorium at AMA, Ahmedabad.
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- Stakeholders at the Ahmedabad consultations urge the Minister of Environment and Forests to Stop Bt Brinjal
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- Ahmedabad consultation
it is indeed a surprise that Gujarat which was always considered as a bastion of GM crop promoters is actually not. The opposition that one saw in Gujarat is amazing. it also shows that all the Industry PR that Gujarathis are all asking for GM crops is nothing but a myth!
The most heartening was the farmers coming out and narrating their angst against Bt cotton.I hope atleast now the state government would stop closing their eyes and calling it dark in teh case of Bt cotton.
The fact is that Bt cotton was a failure. The fact is that Bt cotton didn’t help our farmers a bit.The fact is that Bt cotton benefitted only the seed companies. Monsanto made 325 crores as royalty in one year from the btcotton sales in 2008 alone and what is sad is that it went from one of the poorest sections in our country, our dryland farmers !!