World Record Egg Plant Curry Made to Protest Biotechnology Bill in India
This post originally appeared in Project Groundswell
As part of a public campaign against the upcoming Biotechnology Regulatory Authority of India (BRAI) Bill, the largestbaigan ka bharta (eggplant curry) was made just a few days ago in Delhi.
Chefs from Hotel Le Meridien, New Delhi and the Indian Culinary Forum lead the cooking of about 342.5kgs (about 750lbs) of baingan ka bharta, which has been certified as a world record by the Limca Book of Records.
“People have a right to say ‘no’ to GM food and that’s exactly what they have done today,” said Kapil Mishra, Sustainable Agriculture campaigner with Greenpeace India. “Brinjal has thus become a national symbol when it comes to the opposition to GM crops and this event only resonates that cause.”
The bill, according to Greenpeace, would create a centralized non-transparent body to be the sole approver of genetically modified (GM) crops in India. After public opposition to stop genetically modified eggplant (Bt Brinjal), last year succeeded, Greenpeace is now encouraging the public to speak out against the proposed bill. The last known draft of the BRAI bill contained a clause which allowed for it not to be covered by the Right to Information act.
This would essentially negate any oversight.
Lakshmi Sarah 