Niti Aayog and the RSS-affiliated economic think tank Swadeshi Jagran Manch (SJM) are set into a path of frontal collision. Even as the government has been quite cautious of taking its final call on the fate of genetically modified (GM) food crops in India, its think-tank NITI Aayog has pitched for opting transgenic seeds arguing its importance in ensuring agricultural growth in the country. The Aayog, however, favored only those varieties which are developed by Indian research institutions and companies. Noting that the GM seeds have gained "increasing acceptance among farmers around the world", the Aayog said the Indian farmers also enthusiastically embraced these seeds in the only crop (Cotton) which they have been permitted so far -- an observation which has been vehemently opposed by the SJM. The SJM national co-convenor Ashwani Mahajan has reportedly said that it was wrong to say that the farmers had accepted Bt Cotton enthusiastically. "The farmers were forced to adopt it under monopolistic conditions created by multi-national companies (MNCs). The Bt Cotton has, in fact, become a main reason for farmers' suicides. It is surprising that the Aayog has been pitching for adopting GM seeds without looking into these aspects". He added that "There are interested parties sitting in the Aayog. They had been pitching for GM seeds even before joining the think-tank".