RSS farm arm blames Mahyco, Monsanto for pro-HT seed drive

Nagpur: In a response to Shetkari Sanghatana’s campaign in which farmers are openly sowing unapproved herbicide tolerant (HT) cotton seeds, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh’s’ peasants’ wing Bharatiya Kisan Sangh (BKS) has started a counter-movement.
HT is a genetically modified variety of cotton that is resistant to herbicides making it easy to clear weeds from the farm.
The BKS is spreading a word in villages appealing farmers to stay away from HT seeds as it is illegal to use the variety because government has still not granted permission for its commercial use.
The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh plans to culminate its campaign with protests in every tehsil headquarters throughout the country on August 9.
Meanwhile, last week 16 farmers against whom offences were registered for sowing HT seeds were felicitated at Adgaon village in Akola district.
Dinesh Kulkarni, general secretary of BKS, told TOI that the organization directly holds responsible the company that has developed the HT technology for also being involved in the illegal sale of seeds. “Only because the seeds are easily available, the farmers are able to sow. This cannot happen without the involvement of the company,” he said.
“By saying company, the BKS means Mahyco, the Indian ally of American biotech giant Monsanto, that had presented an application for securing an approval of HT seeds,” said Kulkarni, adding action should be taken against it. “Yes be it Mahyco or Monsanto action should be against such entities if the seed are freely available,” he said.
Shetkari Sanghatana and other organizations are holding campaigns in which the HT seeds are being sowed as a mark of protest demanding that government should legalize its use along with that of genetically-modified brinjal.
“Since the seeds are yet not notified for use, how are these being made available to the farmers. This indicates that the technology providers are also sponsoring the farmers’ agitation,” said Kulkarni.
Three years ago when 28 persons had died in Yavatmal due to pesticide inhalation, it was seen that the crop on which the spraying was done were HT cotton. After that the state government had set up a special investigation team (SIT) to probe smuggling of the HT seeds. However, there has been no action on that front so far, said Kulkarni also holding the state government responsible.
BKS members had met state’s agriculture minister Dr Anil Bonde seeking early submission of SIT report. They were assured of a move in another fortnight, he said.
“HT seeds enable the use of glyphosate-based weed killers. Now when there is much concern about the use of glyphosate’s cancer causing properties, enough research needs to be done before allowing mass use of the technology,” he said.
BKS is not against technology but even techniques other than genetic engineering should be given a chance. “The Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR) has come up with an integrated pest management technology that was never promoted. Had it been there, perhaps genetically-modified seeds that are resistant to pests may not have been needed,” he said.