Karnataka will make its position clear to the prime minister

EXCERPT: Bihar, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, and Delhi governments had already written to the Centre opposing the move, while mustard-growing States, including BJP-ruled Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, had also spelt out their stance against commercialisation of GM mustard.
—

State to oppose commercial cultivation of GM mustard

The Hindu, July 16, 2017
http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-karnataka/state-to-oppose-commercial-cultivation-of-gm-mustard/article19287829.ece

Karnataka, which was indifferent to the Centre’s move to clear Genetically Modified (GM) mustard for commercial cultivation, is set to oppose the decision and will make its position clear to the Prime Minister.

This was assured by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to a group of anti-GM activists and organic farmers, who apprised him of the “adverse impact” of allowing commercial cultivation of GM mustard.

Mr. Siddaramaiah told the delegation that like other State governments that were proactively intervening in the matter, he too would write to the Prime Minister asking him to reject GM mustard cultivation. Anti-GM activists were perturbed in the past that the State was relatively mute to the Centre’s move. This was attributed to the fact that mustard was not a major crop in Karnataka. The delegation was led by activists Mallesh, Maj. Gen Sudhir Vombatkere (retd) of National Alliance of People’s Movement, eco-educationist Tanuja, Krishna Prasad of Sahaja Samruddha, and Pushpavathi Amarnath, former Mysuru Zilla Panchayat president.

Mr. Siddaramaiah was informed that Bihar, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, and Delhi governments had already written to the Centre opposing the move, while mustard-growing States, including BJP-ruled Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, had also spelt out their stance against commercialisation of GM mustard.