This refers to the article, “Busting myth of GM mustard” (August 8) by Shivani Shah. Genetically Modified (GM) mustard is engineered to be resistant to herbicide glufosinate, which when sprayed in fields, kills all other intercrops (like wheat), except for the herbicide-tolerant GM mustard. It has also been pointed out that the argument of a large amount of GM oil from rapeseed, soya, being imported into our country is false, for these kinds only add up to a minuscule percentage, while it is palmolein oil that is the most imported kind in India.
Based on their bad experience with GM cotton flowers, towards which bees were seen to avoid going, last September, bee-keeper associations from across the country protested at the Jantar Mantar for the promotion of GM mustard, fearing a drop in honey production, if mustard goes the GM way. For the GM supporters, to argue that nothing calamitous has happened all these years while consuming GM foods, is ridiculous because no ill-effect from something as complex as genetically modified food will manifest immediately. Haven't we seen how years of pesticide and insecticide use has become the cause of cancer and diabetesIJ Hence, it is time to take a wise call on GM mustard. Governments and research must not play with the lives of people in the name of science and productivity.