NOTE: Ever since India's Environment Minister decided not to push ahead with Bt brinjal, he has been under fierce attack in parts of the media. As P Sainath has written, "The Bt brinjal story [the Indian government's refusal to license Monsanto's Bt brinjal] had mostly only one villain ”” Union Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh... [his opponents] in this media story preferred to function from behind the scenes, plying newspapers and channels with faked data and false information. Hell hath no fury like a powerful corporation scorned, as the Minister is learning."
http://www.counterpunch.org/sainath02222010.html

Although Monsanto and its lieutenants are doing their best to stay in the shadows, suspicions are focusing more and more publicly, as the article below shows, on why certain of Ramesh's ministerial colleagues have been so prominent in the attacks.

EXTRACT: I remain dumbstruck and increasingly suspicious of why some within the cabinet are protesting so vociferously against... the government's decision to put a moratorium on the introduction of Bt brinjal.

...this no-holds-barred attack on a government decision by certain cabinet ministers, aired aggressively on the front page of dailies, bodes ill for the government in power. Desperate cries for genetically modified products to be introduced here for ensuring future food security reflect inappropriate and unwarranted reasoning. This is dangerous.

Why this inordinate rush? Sixty years of misgovernance and deteriorating agricultural policies and infrastructure never brought on this kind of strident protest from ministers in government. In fact, the recent mismanagement of sugar showed how rampant corruption is.

The[se] men, some of whom have been in power for decades, should have led India. They failed to do so. And, for some strange, unknown reason, they are now hysterically endorsing an untested GM product.

Why did the minister of science and technology reply to a GM seeds query from the former minister of health by quoting extensively from a Monsanto document in support of the introduction of those one-time-use seeds into the Indian foodscape? Surely Monsanto documents are for Monsanto employees to quote from and not for cabinet ministers to use as 'empirical' evidence.
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SEEDS OF FRESH TROUBLE
Malvika Singh
The Telegraph, February 23 2010
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1100223/jsp/opinion/story_12136671.jsp

At the cost of sounding repetitive, I remain dumbstruck and increasingly suspicious of why some within the cabinet are protesting so vociferously against their own prime minister and the government's decision to put a moratorium on the introduction of Bt brinjal. For citizens who remain outside the closed doors of 'exclusive' governance in a robust society built on democratic and inclusive norms and values, this no-holds-barred attack on a government decision by certain cabinet ministers, aired aggressively on the front page of dailies, bodes ill for the government in power. Desperate cries for genetically modified products to be introduced here for ensuring future food security reflect inappropriate and unwarranted reasoning. This is dangerous, and clearly the internal divisions and lobbies for and against that are in full play indicate a fearful lack of strategic thinking on agricultural practices.

The 'desperation' also symbolizes much of what may not be in the public domain, making the issue far more sensitive. A moratorium for the moment will permit some probing and experimentation. Surely a more nuanced response makes sense. Why this inordinate rush? Sixty years of misgovernance and deteriorating agricultural policies and infrastructure never brought on this kind of strident protest from ministers in government. In fact, the recent mismanagement of sugar showed how rampant corruption is.

What has provoked this internal 'fight'? Were time-bound promises made to those propagating the crop? If so, people need to know the various dimensions of the commitment. In recent memory, there were only two occasions when members of the cabinet protested vociferously ”” on the nuclear deal, and, now, on GM crops.

Think through

If only the elected cabinet governed India with the same commitment, this nation would have already been a superpower. Instead, decades of misgovernance, malfunctioning, exploitation of the weak and the voiceless, self-aggrandizement, insular administration, isolated decision-making and so on have forced India into a quagmire. The men, some of whom have been in power for decades, should have led India. They failed to do so. And, for some strange, unknown reason, they are now hysterically endorsing an untested GM product.

Why did the minister of science and technology reply to a GM seeds query from the former minister of health by quoting extensively from a Monsanto document in support of the introduction of those one-time-use seeds into the Indian foodscape? Surely Monsanto documents are for Monsanto employees to quote from and not for cabinet ministers to use as 'empirical' evidence.

This kind of lax response from a member of the council of ministers is unacceptable. The matter is far too important, and food security is a fundamental right that merits debate in the public domain since it affects every citizen. We need to understand the consequences within the larger agricultural spectrum that will set the markers for India's future.

Unfortunately, as a result of squabbling cabinet members and contradictory statements from economic advisors and other interested 'parties', the faith in those who determine our future and present lives has dwindled. It is not right to hold the majority to ransom for all that motivates a 'few' people who are unconnected with the realities of India. Even Europe is not united on this one issue. So why expect India to accept the view of a handful of propagators? We need to think this one through and make sure we strategize carefully, irrespective of whims, fancies and 'political' leanings.