500 kg of baingan ka bharta to protest BT Brinjal!

New Delhi: It will be a delectable dish of mammoth proportions but with a message -- 500 kg of `baingan ka bharta` will be cooked Tuesday to protest against a proposed move to approve genetically modified crops, including the brinjal.

Thousands of activists will gather at Dilli Haat in south Delhi to participate in cooking the baingan ka bharta to protest passage of the Biotechnology Regulatory Authority of India (BRAI) bill, which if enacted, is expected to allow easy approval of genetically modified (GM) crops such as Bt brinjal. "Thousands of activists, volunteers, citizens groups, civil society organisations, Le Meridian chefs and the Indian Culinary Forum will participate in the event," said Kapil Mishra, an official of Greenpeace India, which is organising the event. "We will also offer a plate of the dish to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. We will take a plate to his residence after the event with a message, `If the BRAI bill is on, this will be the last GM free baingan bharta you will eat`," said an official. Greenpeace officials claim this record to be the first of its kind. Volunteers will use 300 kg of brinjal and 200 kg of other ingredients, said Mishra, adding, only organic ingredients will be used. ?Through this event we want to spread the message that Indians should say no to GM food and BRAI bill as GM food is very dangerous for health,? Mishra said. The bharta will be distributed to various orphanages and NGOs. Greenpeace will also submit before the prime minister a petition signed by thousands, to stop the BRAI bill. The BRAI bill is slated to be tabled in the current session of the parliament. IANS