By IANS,
Chandigarh : Eminent scientist P.M. Bhargava Saturday said the majority of the people in the country are against genetically modified (GM) food crops and this forced the government to rethink its policy on such products.
“With a majority of people opposing the entry of GM foods, government of India was forced to stall the bill proposed to be introduced in parliament in this regard. They also had to rethink the policy on BT cotton in the country with increasing evidence coming in about it being unsustainable over a longer period,” Bhargava told reporters.
Bhargava, who is considered the architect of molecular biology and biotechnology in India, is running his campaign against GM products under the banner of MARCH (Medically Aware and Responsible Citizens of Hyderabad).
“In India, we do not have any good laboratory with facilities to test the GM food. At least Rs.300 crore is required to establish a state-of-the-art lab in the country. We also urge governments of Punjab and Haryana to not allow their farmers to cultivate GM crops,” stated Bhargava.