sapna mishra

It is an unfortunate fact that much less is known of Karnataka’s historical and linguistic riches than the arguably important place it now occupies as the one state in southern India that has succumbed to the communalised neo-nationalism of the Bharatiya Janata Party. The brevity of the BJP-led government’s existence (2020 to 2023) did nothing to curtail the breathtaking speed with which it cemented social changes and ushered in regressive legislation.

GM-cotton, Bt-cotton, GM-Brinjal, GM-crops, and GM-Mustard are the usual names for genetically modified organisms (GMOs) we hear on the news. While it is uncertain how well the public understands GM technology, the passionate and often emotional tone of our media debates suggests that simply mentioning the term “GMO” is enough to spark a heated discussion. It is emotional, intense, and does not help anyone.

The recent push by the Indian government for a delimitation exercise has set off waves of anxiety among the five south Indian states—Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Telangana, and Andhra Pradesh. Having outperformed the rest of the country in controlling their population growth, they stand to lose out relative to their north Indian counterparts when parliamentary seats and boundaries are revised to reflect population change.