The humble aubergine has been the staple of Indian cuisine since antiquity. I can tell you that as I’ve grown up trying to avoid it, but eventually it just makes its way on your dinner plate if you spend time in India. The Americans, who like to call the aubergine ‘eggplant’ are trying to sell Bacillus thuringiensis (BT) bacterium Brinjal to Indians citing increased yields and the usual propaganda associated with genetically modified crops. Honestly though, anything injected with any kind of ‘bacterium’ doesn’t really sound safe, does it?
Greenpeace India raised the alarm and legally challenged the American biotechnology firm Monsanto over the claimed safety of BT Brinjal. Monsanto was then forced to allow tests to be carried out which were conducted by Gilles-Eric Seralini of the University of Caen. The tests on rats showed that those given the genetically modified food had signs of liver and kidney damage. The toxic food also affected female rats by raising their blood sugar levels and also levels of triglycerides which are fatty substances in the body.
So, in a laudable move, Indian environment minister Jairam Ramesh has shown some resolve and courage by imposing an indefinite moratorium on the release of BT brinjal. He cited dangers to human health and the environment were responsible for his decision after a consensus with a number of Indian states to test public opinion. Nobody wants to eat a genetically modified crop when nature has provided us with plenty and without any toxins. For millennia, human civilization has subsisted perfectly well without any genetic modifications, so why now?
