Smith, director, Institute for Responsible Technology, Washington and an author with international best-sellers like Seeds of Deception and Genetic Roulette to his credit, said: “In my experience over the years, I have never come across a country where a particular crop that originated there, goes in for a modified variety of the same.”

He said the government needs to step in and come up with an alternate policy that bans both BT cotton as well as BT Brinjal, “before it is too late”.

Smith is in India to participate in the nationwide campaign, titled ‘I am no lab rat’ that was launched in Chandigarh on Friday and will be carried across to Amritsar and Ludhiana.

Talking about the campaign, Smith said: “The campaign will be carried across the country with a view to urge the government for a ban on both the products. In India, brinjal is used in medicines. By modifying the form of the crop, it might stop having the effect. Thus, we urge the government to formulate a policy decision on the same.”

Smith has conducted a research which proves that BT cotton causes skin allergies in individuals. He had also conducted a study of its effect on animals, which proves that BT cotton, besides causing health related problems, can also prove fatal.