The parliamentary committee report on genetically modified (GM) organisms is an attempt to give a quiet burial to biotechnology in India. On behalf of the farmers of India, let me say that this report totally fails to reflect farmer’s aspirations, and distorts the scientific significance of biotechnology- including genetic engineering for the national economy. Instead it echoes persistent canards by some environmental NGOs. Indian farming suffers losses of up to Rs. 1 lack crore from pests and diseases annually, apart from natural calamities. Till the 1960s, India used only conventional breeding for seeds-but these traditional varieties were insufficient to feed the country, which became totally dependent for food aid from the U.S. then came the Green Revolution which harnessed biotechnology. This saved India from starvation and made it a food exporter. But the limits of the Green Revolution technology have been reached. We now have new kinds of biotechnology, including GM crops. The Government has created the Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC) to regulate the entry of new GM crops. Unfortunately, the parliamentary committee’s report seems to written for them by green activists without reference to scientists or farmers. Instead of hailing GM crops as a huge success, they are being portrayed as dangerous. This demonization will demoralize top Indian researchers. Bt cotton, approved by GEAC in 2002, is one of 220 the most successful stories of Indian agriculture after the Green Revolution. Fifty thousand hectares were planted in 2002, and by 2012 this reached 10 million hectares planted by 10 million farmers in nine states. India became the second largest producer of cotton in the world. It was a boon to Indian farmers. Yet the parliamentary committee has swallowed NGO’s claims that this has been of no use at all for farmers. GM crops of maize, soya, potato, sugar, canola, cotton and alfalfa are grown across the world. The US, Brazil, Argentina, and China are massive producers. The global GM crops area increased from 4.3 million hectares in 1996 to 148 million hectares by 2010. Not a single case of any danger to human health has been reported, yet green activists keep spreading false stories about health hazards. Ten industrial nations and 19 developing countries are producing GM crops. Another 30 countries including EU countries which do not grow GM crops themselves are importing and consuming GM foods directly and indirectly.The EU countries that widely oppose GM crops have barely 15 million farmers, and follow double standards. They import huge quantities of cattle feed and beef from GM crop producing countries including Brazil, so GM crops are very much in the European food chain. Besides, over 15 million European tourists visit the US and Latin America every year and happily consume GM food there with no adverse health effects. Yet, they make a huge noise in their own countries. But today, even the EU has allowed some GM crops: Spain with 76,675 hectares of Bt maize is the leader. China is growing Bt cotton, tomato, papaya and sweet pepper. In 2007, it gave in principal approval for Bt rice and Bt maize. As of 2010 China was cultivating 3.5 million hectares of Bt crops. The parliamentary committee report on genetically modified (GM) organisms is an attempt to give a quiet burial to biotechnology in India. On behalf of the farmers of India, let me say that this report totally fails to reflect farmer’s aspirations, and distorts the scientific significance of biotechnology- including genetic engineering for the national economy. Instead it echoes persistent canards by some environmental NGOs. Indian farming suffers losses of up to Rs. 1 lack crore from pests and diseases annually, apart from natural calamities. Till the 1960s, India used only conventional breeding for seeds-but these traditional varieties were insufficient to feed the country, which became totally dependent for food aid from the U.S. then came the Green Revolution which harnessed biotechnology. This saved India from starvation and made it a food exporter. But the limits of the Green Revolution technology have been reached. We now have new kinds of biotechnology, including GM crops. The Government has created the Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC) to regulate the entry of new GM crops. Unfortunately, the parliamentary committee’s report seems to written for them by green activists without reference to scientists or farmers. Instead of hailing GM crops as a huge success, they are being portrayed as dangerous. This demonization will demoralize top Indian researchers. Bt cotton, approved by GEAC in 2002, is one of 220 the most successful stories of Indian agriculture after the Green Revolution. Fifty thousand hectares were planted in 2002, and by 2012 this reached 10 million hectares planted by 10 million farmers in nine states. India became the second largest producer of cotton in the world. It was a boon to Indian farmers. Yet the parliamentary committee has swallowed NGO’s claims that this has been of no use at all for farmers. GM crops of maize, soya, potato, sugar, canola, cotton and alfalfa are grown across the world. The US, Brazil, Argentina, and China are massive producers. The global GM crops area increased from 4.3 million hectares in 1996 to 148 million hectares by 2010. Not a single case of any danger to human health has been reported, yet green activists keep spreading false stories about health hazards. Ten industrial nations and 19 developing countries are producing GM crops. Another 30 countries including EU countries which do not grow GM crops themselves are importing and consuming GM foods directly and indirectly.The EU countries that widely oppose GM crops have barely 15 million farmers, and follow double standards. They import huge quantities of cattle feed and beef from GM crop producing countries including Brazil, so GM crops are very much in the European food chain. Besides, over 15 million European tourists visit the US and Latin America every year and happily consume GM food there with no adverse health effects. Yet, they make a huge noise in their own countries. But today, even the EU has allowed some GM crops: Spain with 76,675 hectares of Bt maize is the leader. China is growing Bt cotton, tomato, papaya and sweet pepper. In 2007, it gave in principal approval for Bt rice and Bt maize. As of 2010 China was cultivating 3.5 million hectares of Bt crops. Submit