I request Thiru @drharshvardhan to revoke the permission given to #GMMustard to protect the interests of farmers & safeguard the ecosystem...

DMK working president M.K. Stalin appealed directly to Union Environment Minister Harsh Vardhan on July 24, 2017, urging the central government to withdraw approval granted for the commercial cultivation of genetically modified mustard. Stalin stressed that introducing transgenic seed varieties poses grave risks to indigenous agricultural practices, biodiversity, and smallholder farm sustainability across India. He called for prioritizing ecological safety and farmer interests over corporate biotechnology commercialization.

The opposition leader noted that agricultural scientists, environmental organizations, and farmer unions had repeatedly voiced serious concerns regarding the long-term impacts of genetically altered crops on soil health, pollinator species, and food safety. Allowing commercial rollout without exhaustive, transparent, and independent biosafety assessments endangered domestic seed sovereignty. Stalin argued that traditional farming communities require sustainable input support and scientific assistance rather than dependence on proprietary seed technologies that increase agricultural indebtedness.

Stalin emphasized that public policy must protect agricultural ecosystems from irreversible ecological contamination. He urged the Union Ministry to respect scientific caution and consult grassroots farming communities before approving contentious agricultural technologies. The DMK reaffirmed its commitment to advocating policies that protect farmer autonomy, promote biodiversity conservation, and advance sustainable agricultural development.