ICAR expels farmers members who ask about genome editing seeds from governing bodies

The Indian Agricultural Research Council (ICAR) has expelled the Varanasi farmer Venugopal Badaravada from the Council (GB) as well as the general body of the ICAR Association.

Mr. Badaravada, a farmer representative for two groups, recently questioned the seeds of genome editing developed by ICAR and also claimed that the appointment of ICAR is not transparent. The farmer said he had contacted Prime Minister Narendra Modi to decide to evacuate him from the bodies.

Mr. Badaravada has been sending various emails to the Union Government, various agencies of the Ministry of Agricultural Research and Education and the past seven months to collect “fresh, unfounded and materially unsupported charges”, said Sanjay Garg, a member secretary of ICAR GB. Mr Garg added that Mr Badaravada's request violated the established rules and procedures of the ICAR and the Centre.

He claimed that the farmers' representatives issued a press release to the media as a member of the ICAR association of GB, thus opposing the interests of the organization. “Through this behavior, he seriously undermined the image of ICAR and violated his intention to be a general institution and the governing body of the ICAR association, and therefore involved the conduct of the general institution of the ICAR society and a member of the ICAR society.”

He said Mr. Badarawada made unreasonable financial and logistical requirements in exchange for his cooperation in investigating his allegations, including the appearance costs of more than Rs 2 crore per online meeting, and at least Rs 50 billion in personal insurance to achieve personal appearance to establish full-time staff in Dellhi in the north and establish a comprehensive position and a comprehensive business and provide new businesses.

“In addition, he said face-to-face appearance fees were agreed. In the investigation of the complaint, this unreasonable demand showed that he was not sincere in pursuing the complaint and made these complaints without any basis,” ICAR officials said, “Officials said Mr Badarawada was deported.

In his letter to Mr. Modi, Mr. Badarawada said that since 2023, he has submitted several complaints to the ICAR authorities, supported by detailed evidence. “However, no action was taken. Therefore, I have submitted petitions to the Prime Minister, President Bharat and others. These petitions highlight serious issues regarding corruption, mismanagement and ICAR, forwarded to the Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, and to ICAR, and to ICAR VIGILANCE WIGILANCE WIGILANCE WINGILANCE WINGILANCE WINGILANCE WINGILANCE WINGILANCE WINGILANCE WINGILANCE WINGILANCE WINGILANCE WINGILANCE WINGILANCE WINGILANCE WINGILANCE WINGILANCE WINGILANCE WINGILANCE WINGILANCE WINGILANCE WINGILANCE WINGILANCE WINGILANCE WINGILANCE WINGILANCE WINGILANCE WINGILANCE WINGILANCE WINGILANCE WINGILANCE WINGILANCE WINGILANCE WINGILANCE WINGILANCE WINGILANCE WINGILANCE WINGILANCE WINGILANCE WINGILANCE WINGILANCE WINGILANCE WINGILANCE WINGILANCE WINGILANCE WINGILANCE WINGILANCE WINGILANCE WINGILANCE WINGILANCE WINGILANCE WINGILANCE WINGILANCE WINGILANCE WINGILANCE WINGILANCE WINGILANCE WINGILANCE WINGILANCE WINGILANCE WINGILANCE WINGILANCE WINGILANCE WINGILANCE WINGILANCE WINGILANCE WINGILANCE WINGILANCE WINGILANCE WINGILANCE WINGILANCE WINGILANCE WINGILANCE WINGILANCE WINGILANCE WINGILANCE WINGILANCE WINGILANCE WINGILANCE WINGILANCE WINGILANCE WINGILANCE WINGILANCE WINGILANCE WINGILANCE WING

He accused corruption in the appointment of a research management position at ICAR and said it was bigger than Vyapam. He said: “Narendra Modi Ji's Na Khaunga, na khane doonga' – resonates with millions of honest citizens. But unless action is taken promptly, this connection will continue to mock this very ideal situation.