Environment activist Vandana Shiva on Thursday wrote to Union Environment Minister Harsh Vardhan seeking a criminal investigation against global seed giant Monsanto for genetic contamination of its herbicide tolerant Round-up Ready Flex Bt cotton.

"Over the two decades since Monsanto entered India, it has violated laws, deceived Indian farmers by making unscientific and fraudulent claims, extracted super profits through illegal royalty collection by violating India's Patent and Intellectual Property laws, pushed farmers into debt, and, as a consequence of the debt trap, to suicide," she said in her letter.

"As per the (Environmental Protection Act) Rules of 1989, a criminal investigation should be started against Monsanto. As per the government's own admission, Round Up is banned in India," she said.

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