Scientists, public representatives and environmentalists have joined hands to condemn a “gag order” by the Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare on genetically modified (GM) mustard crop, Dhara Mustard Hybrid (DMH-11). The community has written to the environment minister and the Prime Minister against it.
The Secretary for the Department of Agriculture Research and Education (DARE) under the ministry, Himanshu Pathak, released a statement December 23, 2022 on “myths being spread about GM mustard”.
The secretary’s statement said:
Therefore, a statement is being issued in public interest to clarify that any opinion or article published on the subject by anyone not authorised or former employees of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) different from the stated documentation and decisions made by the regulatory authorities functioning under the EPA (1986) are not endorsed by the Council and are subjectable to any administrative procedures required in public interest.
— source downtoearth.org.in | Himanshu Nitnaware | 10 Jan 2023