COMMENT from Kapil Mishra, Sustainable Agriculture Campaigner, Greenpeace India: It's a World Record! 342.5 kilos of baingan bharta [eggplant curry] representing over one lakh [100,000] signatures opposing the Biotechnology Regulatory Authority of India (BRAI) bill and genetically modified (GM) food, is the biggest ever.

The petitions and the bharta helped show the massive opposition to GM crops and the BRAI bill. Over [100,000] petition signatures along with some portion of the bharta were taken to the Prime Minister's office. The petition signatures were delivered but his officials refused to accept the bharta.

So far the BRAI bill has not been tabled in Parliament, but it can come up anytime, if not in this session then the next one. There are 74 GM crops under various stages of research and they need to be stopped... 

IMAGES: Images from the giant Baingan Bharta protest against GM crops and the BRAI bill here:http://bit.ly/qu9HzS
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Giant Baigan ka Bharta makes for a delicious record
The Times of India, September 7 2011 [extract]
http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-09-07/delhi/30122772_1_bt-brinjal-gm-crops-chefs

NEW DELHI: It was a grand lunch fit to feed an army. Chefs from Le Meridian, Indian Institute of Hotel Management and Indian Culinary Forum prepared two mammoth containers of mouth-watering, traditional Punjabi style 'Baigan ka Bharta.' What made this simple dish made from organic brinjal [eggplant/aubergine] spectacular was that it made its way into the Limca Book of Records on Tuesday.

To protest the tabling of the Biotechnology Regulatory Authority of India (BRAI) Bill in the monsoon session of Parliament, Greenpeace organized a cook in protest where a 342.5 kg dish was made from scratch with organic vegetables in Dilli Haat. A portion of the dish was delivered to the Prime Minister's residence along with a petition containing the signatures of one lakh citizens.

"The draft that is to be tabled is draconian and undemocratic. It not only violates the Right to Information Act but will also lead to a substantial increase in the use and commercialization of genetically modified crops," said Kapil Mishra from Green Peace.

"Our request to the government is not to present and pass the bill in a hurry. We are just asking them to conduct proper studies and research before introducing crops that can have a long-term effect on consumers," added Mishra.

After preparation, the Baigan ka Bharta was savoured by spectators at Dilli Haat and distributed to orphanages across the Capital.
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2.Campaign against Biotechnology Regulatory Authority Bill
The Hindu, September 7 2011
http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Delhi/article2431919.ece

NEW DELHI – Greenpeace members were joined by Delhiites at Dilli Haat near INA Market here on Tuesday morning to cook a record-making GM-free baingan ka bharta to oppose Biotechnology Regulatory Authority of India Bill, 2011.

The cooking was part of a public campaign that saw several people also signing a petition against the upcoming Bill, which is feared to become an easy single window clearance system for GM crops in the country.

A battery of chefs from Le Meridien and India Culinary Forum lead the cooking of the bharta that has been certified as a record by the Limca Book of Records. A delegation of Greenpeace members later submitted a signed petition to the Prime Minister's Office against the Bill.

"People have the right to say 'no' to GM food and that is exactly what we have done today, we hope that the Government would take notice of the voices of its citizens and stop the introduction of Bill which would become a non-transparent, autocratic body which will lower the bar for the GM crop approvals," said Sustainable Agriculture campaigner with Greenpeace India Kapil Mishra.

"Bt. brinjal the first GM [food] crop that came up for commercialisation was put under an indefinite moratorium last year due to opposition by scientists, farmers, consumers, political parties, as well as environmentalists. Brinjal has thus become a national symbol when it comes to opposition to GM crops and this event only resonates that cause," he added.

Leading the cooking at the record event, Executive Chef at Le Meridien Davinder Kumar said: "We believe in doing whatever we can to ensure safe food and a sustainable environment. We are happy that we could do our bit by joining this people's movement for safe food."

According to Greenpeace, the bharta was made completely out of organic ingredients sourced from different organic food stores in Delhi to send a message that there are sustainable alternatives that need promotion and support of the Government instead of risky technologies like GM crops.

Rashmi Gupta, a Delhiite, who was present at the event and signed the petition said: "I will not compromise on my family's health because of such unethical regulations passed by the Government and that is the reason why I am here to participate in this event, I strongly believe that healthy eating is healthy living and GM food is a threat to it."

The gathering also urged the government not to table the Bill but to come up with a biosafety protection legislation that will protect and enhance biosafety and ensure democratic processes are adhered to when dealing with issues as important as food and farming in the country.