Controversy Erupts Over Genome-Edited Rice in India

The Coalition for a GM-Free India criticizes the government's decision to release genome-edited rice varieties, alleging corporate pressure and lack of safety testing. They argue this move threatens India's diverse rice gene pool and violates legal orders. The Coalition demands transparency and cessation of these developments.

The unveiling of genome-edited rice varieties by India's Agriculture Minister, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, has ignited backlash from the Coalition for a GM-Free India. The Coalition claims the government acted under corporate pressure and criticized the lack of safety testing for these new rice variants, named DRR Dhan 100 and Pusa DST Rice 1, developed by ICAR.

Concerns have been raised about the potential risks these gene-edited varieties pose to India's diverse rice gene pool. The Coalition argues that gene editing equates to genetic modification, challenging the government's deregulation of specific editing techniques like SDN-1 and SDN-2.

The Coalition accused the government of compromising farmers' seed sovereignty and criticized the handling of intellectual property rights. They urged the government to disclose safety test results and asserted non-compliance with Supreme Court orders, demanding an immediate halt to the release of these rice varieties.

(With inputs from agencies.)