BT Brinjal will ultimately lead to economic subjugation of our farming community while having a catastrophic impact on our bio-diversity, soil fertility and human rights, points out worried farmers, scientists, legal experts, politicians, activists and academia. “Simply reject the entry of BT Brinjal in the country for the obvious and hidden danger of its introduction is too grave for the country to permit it,” was the unanimous voice of stakeholders gathered from such diverse background as farming, research, law and judiciary, academics, media, NGOs, and activists, at the two-day opinion gathering and fact-finding event organized jointly by Indian People’s Tribunal and Socio-Legal Information Centre. Introduction of genetically engineered technology is the first step towards deprivation of economic and human rights of farmers as the traditional and recognized right of farmers over seeds will be taken away once this is introduced. In any society, farmers have had the right over seed but crass commercialization of farming economy will take away this right and will ultimately throw them at the mercy of giant multinational companies, pointed out Justice (Retd) Hosbet Suresh, former judge of Mumbai High Court. This cannot be allowed at any cost. Experts also pointed out that experience of Bt seeds have not been too happy in the long term for any farming community and its adverse impact on human health as well as bio-diversity and soil fertility is deliberately not being brought in public domain. It is to be noted that India has around 2600 varieties of brinjals. This diversity faces threat of extinction as well as contamination once Bt Brinjal is introduced. Experts and farmers pointed out that even in the case of Bt Cotton, the negative impact is now becoming more obvious thus offsetting any gain that might have been there due to increased yield. “Soil fertility has gone down. Pests have developed immunities. To grow the same yield as 3 years back, farmers now have to use at least 4 times the fertilizers as was being used earlier. But seed companies have made their money and their purpose is now solved. They don’t really care about farmers or about environmental issues,” pointed out Dr Sharad Nimbalkar, former Vice-Chancellor of Punjabrao Krishi Vidyapeeth, Akola, Vidharbha. Madhya Pradesh agriculture minister Ramakrishnan Kusmariya opposed the commercial marketing and cultivation of Bt Brinjal in India. "The MP government has unanimously rejected the crop. There are nearly 2,600 varieties of brinjal in India. Instead of encouraging Bt Brinjal, we should work to improve and document each of these existing varieties," said Kusmariya, who is an agricultural economist. Stating that the genetically modified crop had serious health implications across the country, the minister said that not enough research had been done in the field of Bt Brinjal for it to be commercialised yet. Dr Devinder Sharma, Agriculture Policy Analyst (Forum for Biotechnology & Food Security), Dr V P Kambhoj, Chair, Review Committee on Genetic Manipulation, Dept of Biotechnology, GoI, Dr Pushpa Bhargava, Supreme Court Observer, Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC), Dr Ananda Kumar (IARI), Dr Mira Shiva, Public Health Activist (Jan Swasthya Abhiyan), Ms Kavitha Kuruganti (Kheti Virasat Mission), Kapil Shah (Jatan Trust), Rajesh Krishnan (Grenpeace India), Shri Amulya Nidhi (Jan Swasthya Abhiiyan), Dr Sharad Nimbalkar (ex-VC of PKV, Akola, Vidharbha), Dr G V Ramanjaneyulu (Centre for Sustainable Agriculture), Ms Shalini Bhutani (GRAIN), Dr Ramakrishna Kusmariya (Agriculture Minister, Govt of MP), Dr V S Vijayan, (State Biodiversity Board, Kerala), Shri Jayant Chaudhary (MP, Lok Sabha, RLD), Dr Vandana Shiva (environmentalist) and host of farmers from various states were speakers and participants. The main objections to introduction of BT Brinjal centers around the following issues/points: i) Loss of economic independence of farmers and a means for economic exploitation; ii) Loss of traditional rights of farmers over seeds; iii) Commercialization of seeds and loss of rights will ultimately leave Indian farmers at the mercy of seed companies and will create further problems in the country-side; iv) Irreversible loss to bio-diversity of the country; v) Disappearance and contamination of local variety of food (brinjal in this case); vi) Loss of soil-fertility with the increased usage of chemical fertilizers; vii) Environmental degradation and adverse multiplier effect on flora and fauna of the area where GM seeds are being used; viii) Government of India Committee that was set up to evaluate impact of GM seeds, has such members who have vested interest in the promotion of GM seeds, thus the recommendation of this committee should be scrapped and a new transparent and competent committee be set up. ix) Existing laws being tampered with or new laws being made to protect the interests of seed multi-nationals while little being done to protect the interests of farmers. x) There has to be fixation of liabilities in case of environmental degaradation and loss of bio-diversity. The two-day event saw testimonies and presentations from the experts on GE and GM foods, activists and farmers from affected states like Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Punjab, Orissa, Maharashtra etc who narrated their harrowing experiences of growing Bt Cotton and their apprehensions of the Bt Brinjal, the new GM crop which has generated a lot of heat and debate at present in the country. The jury will come up with a detailed report on the issue soon and will send a note to Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh about its recommendations.