What are the reasons for the people’s resistance to the introduction of Bt brinjal in India? 1. Bt brinjal has been created by inserting a gene from a soil fungus into its genome. 2. The seeds of Bt brinjal are terminator seeds and therefore, the farmers have to buy the seeds before every season from the seed companies. 3. There is an apprehension that the consumption of Bt brinjal may have adverse impact on health. 4. There is some concern that the introduction of Bt brinjal may have adverse effect on the biodiversity. Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

The resistance to Bt brinjal in India is primarily driven by biosafety and environmental concerns. Statement 1 is incorrect because Bt brinjal is created by inserting a gene (Cry1Ac) from the soil bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis, not a fungus. Statement 2 is incorrect as Bt brinjal does not contain 'terminator' technology; however, as a hybrid, farmers would typically buy new seeds to maintain yield quality, which is a distinct economic issue from genetic sterilization. Statement 3 is correct, as civil society groups and critics have raised alarms regarding potential allergens and toxicity affecting human health [1]. Statement 4 is correct, as the government's 2010 moratorium was based on the 'precautionary principle' due to concerns about the impact on India's rich genetic diversity of brinjal and potential cross-pollination with wild varieties.

Sources

1. [1] Indian Economy, Vivek Singh (7th ed. 2023-24) > Chapter 11: Agriculture - Part II > 11.8 Genetically Modified (GM) Crops > p. 342