RSS farm body takes credit as NITI Aayog withdraws paper urging tariff cuts for U.S. GM crop imports

The Bharatiya Kisan Sangh — a farmers’ body affiliated to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) — welcomed the NITI Aayog’s 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. “This paper was widely criticised by various farmers’ organisations, including the BKS. After our strong reaction, the paper was removed from the Niti Aayog website,” Mr. Mishra said.

NITI Aayog is the Union government’s think-tank, offering suggestions on various policy issues. The paper, titled, ‘Promoting India-U.S. Agricultural Trade in the New American Trade System’, was about the proposed Indo-U.S. Free Trade Agreement (FTA). It was published last month, but was recently removed from the institution’s website.

‘We are not guinea pigs’

“NITI Aayog’s 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,” Mr. Mishra explained.

Slamming the think tank’s recommendation, Mr Mishra said that the NITI Aayog should first test these crops on themselves for a long time and check the results.

“NITI 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,” he added.

Livelihoods at risk

The BKS leader pointed out that allowing GM products into India’s 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.

“In 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,” Mr. Mishra said.