Mahesh Bhatt film to lobby against GM products

As the debate on the use of Genetically Modified (GM) continues to rage in the country, veteran filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt has come out with a film on the subject.
 
"Let's accept it. We are a feudal society and we'll always suppress the whistle blowers. But its high time we get up take a stand and change this. GM foods will unleash a kind of horror whose extent would be difficult to fathom right now", he said while launching his film Poison on the Platter in the capital recently.
 
Genetically Modified products are those created by genetic engineering, i.e, artificially transferring genes from one species to another in order to sustain the features of one in another.
 
The film by Ajay Kanchan, who had directed Aisa Kyun Hota Hai in 2006 starring Aryan Vaid and Meghna Chatterjee.
 
"We have made the film for the struggle and sagacity of people campaigning for this issue. This situation is bigger than what we have seen so far. Whether it is cyclones, HIV, insurgency or status of Muslims in India, this issue would be more shocking than anyone can ever imagine", says the director.

"Production and promotion of Genetically Modified foods is an act of bio-terrorism. Its time that we carry this message to the people of India instead of ignoring it. The need is urgent," adds Bhatt.
 
"Testing of GM foods on lab animals has shown that they affect brain, lungs, liver, kidney, pancreas, intestine and cause bleeding stomachs," points out Kanchan, who has directed the film.
 
Studies point out that inspite of the best efforts by biotech companies, more than 91 per cent of the GM crops are confined to just three countries, US, Brazil and Argentina. The rest of the world, especially in Europe, have been shutting their doors on GM crops.
 
"India does not allow the import of any GM food in the country. But the presence of many a western food outlets in the country has increased the potential threat of GM products", says Devendra Sharma, agricultural scientist, food policy analyst and one of the supporters of 'anti-GM production' lobby in India.
 
Sharma also points out that one can hardly spot difference between a natural product and its Genetically Modified counterpart. So gene modification can be present in anything from Soya, corn, potato, tomato, ladyfinger to poultry like chicken.

"There is a myth in India and around the world that US is approving GM crops and that its FDA (US agency responsible for regulating and supervising the safety of food, medical and allied products) is taking care, the products being circulated must be safe.
 
But long back, FDA followed a policy of letting the biotech companies certify the safety of their food, which meant that FDA passed its responsibility to corporations. So one shouldn't buy these products", says Jeffery M Smith, founder director, Institute of Responsible Technology, who has also authored two books on the health impact of GM foods.