RSS’s farmer’s body asks Haryana government to immediately withdraw permission for testing of GM Crops

Subject : Science and technology

Section: Biotechnology

Concept :

Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS)-affiliated farmers’ body, Bharatiya Kisan Sangh (BKS) wrote a letter to Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, demanding immediately the withdrawal of the permission given by the Haryana government for any kind of testing and cultivation of Genetically Modified (GM) crops.

GM Crops:

GM foods are derived from plants whose genes are artificially modified, usually by inserting genetic material from another organism, in order to give it a new property, such as increased yield, tolerance to a herbicide, resistance to disease or drought, or to improve its nutritional value.
Probably the best known variety of GM rice is golden rice.
Golden rice involves the insertion of genes from a plant — both daffodils and maize have been used — and a soil bacterium to create a grain that is enriched with Vitamin A.
India has approved commercial cultivation of only one GM crop, Bt cotton.
No GM food crop has ever been approved for commercial cultivation in the country.
However, confined field trials have been allowed for at least 20 GM crops.
That includes varieties of GM rice which would have improved resistance to insects and diseases, as well as hybrid seed production and nutritional enhancements such as golden rice.
The cons of GM foods are that they may cause allergic reactions because of their altered DNA and they may increase antibiotic resistance.