By Ishita Mishra
The Bharatiya Kisan Sangh 鈥 a farmers鈥 body affiliated to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) 鈥 welcomed the NITI Aayog鈥檚 recent decision to withdraw a working paper suggesting that India should lower import tariffs on agricultural produce from the U.S., including on genetically modified soy and corn crops.
BKS general secretary Mohini Mohan Mishra termed the paper as anti-farmer and anti-consumer. 鈥淭his paper was widely criticised by various farmers鈥 organisations, including the BKS. After our strong reaction, the paper was removed from the Niti Aayog website,鈥 Mr. Mishra said.
NITI Aayog is the Union government鈥檚 think-tank, offering suggestions on various policy issues. The paper, titled, 鈥楶romoting India-U.S. Agricultural Trade in the New American Trade System鈥, was about the proposed Indo-U.S. Free Trade Agreement (FTA). It was published last month, but was recently removed from the institution鈥檚 website.
鈥榃e are not guinea pigs鈥
鈥淣ITI Aayog鈥檚 paper suggested the import of GM soybean oil, GM soybean seeds, and GM maize along with other dairy products from America. The paper also suggested the lowering of tariffs on the import of these products from the U.S. All this was recommended even when research results on the side effects and benefits of GM crops is yet to come,鈥 Mr. Mishra explained.
Slamming the think tank鈥檚 recommendation, Mr Mishra said that the NITI Aayog should first test these crops on themselves for a long time and check the results.
鈥淣ITI Aayog should not consider farmers and consumers as guinea pigs or rats. Earlier also, in the name of the Green Revolution, chemicals were served to farmers for chemical farming in the drive for higher production, and now, farmers are being blamed for the cancer caused by these chemicals. This will not be tolerated at all,鈥 he added.
Livelihoods at risk
The BKS leader pointed out that allowing GM products into India鈥檚 farm sector under American pressure could put the livelihood of about 70 crore Indians in danger. In countries like America, farmers are given huge subsidies and the production cost is low, he said.
鈥淚n such a situation, the farmers of India cannot compete with them. With the withdrawal of the working paper of Niti Aayog, this danger has been averted from the farmers for now. We welcome this decision of Niti Aayog,鈥 Mr. Mishra said.