Group claims Brinjal report plagiarised; rubbish, say academies

The allegations have been dubbed as "ridiculous" by senior scientist P S Goel, who was part of the study commissioned by Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh after the controversy over commercialisation of Bt Brinjal.

"It is appropriate now to release Bt Brinjal for cultivation in specific farmers' fields in identified states," said the report of the six science academies on Bt Brinjal which was submitted to the Government recently.

Indian Academy of Sciences, Indian National Academy of Engineering, Indian National Science Academy, National Academy of Agricultural Sciences, National Academy of Medical Sciences and National Academy of Sciences (India) were asked by Ramesh and K Kasturirangan, Member, Planning Commission to submit a report on GM crops.

Advocacy group 'Coalition for GM Free India' had levelled allegations of plagiarism against the academies accusing them of copying views of leading scientist P Anand Kumar.

"It is a biased, political position paper by the science academies. Rather than a rigorous scientific review that it is supposed to be, it is absolutely scandalous that the six top science academies used plagiarised material in their attempt to promote Bt Brinjal," said Kavita Kuruganti on behalf of the Coalition.

Kumar rubbished the allegations saying that the paragraphs in question were his contribution to the report.

"My views were sought by the academies and the paragraphs in question are my inputs to the academies' report," Kumar, who is a member of the National Academy of Agricultural Sciences, told PTI.

P S Goel of the Indian National Academy of Engineering termed the allegations as ridiculous and said that Kumar's views were incorporated as "whatever he had written was written with conviction".

A senior scientist admitted that the problem would not have arisen had Kumar's contribution been clearly mentioned in the report.

"There is not citation in the report (on the source of the material) and hence the misunderstanding," he said.

Kumar, who has been studying Bt Brinjal for the past 18 years, said that he stood by his views expressed in the article he had written last year.

Asked to comment on the Inter-Academy Report on GM Crops, Science and Technology Minister Prithviraj Chavan said the six science academies have given their opinion and the government values it greatly.

However, Chavan made it clear that the decision on commercial introduction of Bt Brinjal will be taken by the political leadership.

"They are the best scientists of the country and we value their opinion greatly, but ultimately it (commercialisation of Bt Brinjal) will be a political decision," he said.

Leading scientist P M Bhargava dismissed as "baseless" and "biased" the Inter-Academy report contending that it did not reveal the truth.

"I am amazed at the content of report. It does not tell you the truth as it has no reference to any scientific work which talks about harmful impact of GM foods. The report is compilation of existing pro-transegenic food reports and not based on any new test," said Bhargava, a former Director of the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology.

The Coalition for GM Free India termed the report as "shoddy and unacceptable".
However, Bhargava, while maintaining that he was not against transgenic food, asserted its release should be only after adequate tests and assuring the safety of the consumers.