By Imran 
14 Jan 2009 04:25:00 AM IST
BANGALORE: After activists and scientists, now yoga guru Baba Ramdev has joined the anti- GM bandwagon, opposing foods and livestock in India being genetically modified.
Addressing journalists at a press conference in Hospet on the eve of a week-long yoga camp on Saturday, the Yoga guru came out openly declaring war against companies, who are involved in the production of Genetically Modified (GM) food and food crops in India. Describing the introduction of GM food crop as a ‘conspiracy by foreign multi-nationals to make the common people and farmers totally dependent on hollow foreign technology,’ he said that GM varieties of food crops can cause several illnesses. He cited examples of sheep deaths in the Warangal district of Andhra Pradesh, due to the BT toxin and the scientists reports from Chandigarh, which said cattle being fed on Bt Cotton fodder showed symptoms of decrease in milk production, infertility, excessive salivation, bloody dysentery, and even death.

Speaking to The Express, Dr Naveen, who is part of the research team at Patanjali Yogpeeth, institution for scientific research and treatment, headed by Baba Ramdev, said that though generally they were opposed to food and herbals being genetically modified, the institution as such, didn’t have an official position or paper against GM food, food crops or livestock.

Krishna Raj, from the Department of Biotechnology, UAS Dharwad said that they were concerned with only the scientific part of the issue. “The Genetic Engineering Approval Committee, monitors the safety part,” he added.

When asked on the cases cited by Baba Ramdev proving that GM foods and food crops can be a potential threat, he said: “It’s an old story.” However he hastened to add: “We need to look at all the sides of the story and let the public decide.”

imran@epmltd.com