Fast against Bt brinjal on January 30
 
Express News Service
First Published : 20 Jan 2010 04:42:00 AM IST

 
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Greens, farmers, political and cultural leaders in the State will go on a fast on January 30, to stop the Ministry of Environment and Forests from giving permission for the commercial cultivation of Bt brinjal.
 
While the call for a National Day of Fast is being given by several people’s movements in the country, it has been reliably learnt that in an unprecedented move, the State Government itself might give a call for the fast.
 
India’s regulatory body for genetic engineering, the Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC) had approved Bt brinjal for the commercial cultivation and the Central Government is now holding national consultations before the final clearance.
 
January 30, the day that took Mahatma Gandhi, is also the last day of the official national consultations on Bt brinjal being held in seven states across the country.
 
In the State capital, political leaders, farmers, environmentalists and cultural leaders will join common public who are concerned about the genetically-modified crops in a one-day fast scheduled to be held at the Gandhi Park.
 
Those who cannot take a fast can show their solidarity to the cause by lighting a candle. In other parts of the State, various green organisations will take part in the fast at specified locations.
 
Currently it is the Kerala Agriculture Environment Collective that has given the call for the fast.
 
The NGOs that will take part in the pledge include One Earth One Life, Periyar Malineekarana Virudha Samithi, Thanal and Sakhi among many others.
 
The Agriculture Minister and the Health Minister are reportedly showing a deep interest in the programme that their involvement might bring in a lot of other organisations.
 
The Association for India’s Development (AID), a volunteer movement promoting sustainable, equitable and just development, was one of the first organisations to give the call for the fast. The website of AID India also has a message for Jairam Ramesh, which visitors can sign and send to the Minister. The Greens have maintained that genetic engineering technology is not going to solve the issue of hunger. They believe that the answer lies in education, livelihoods, human rights and sustainable agriculture, development and appropriate technology.
 
The message to Jairam Ramesh reads: Bt brinjal is a costly experiment to try on the Indian soil and the burden of its failure will have to be borne by common people, if approved.
 
A few corporates and seed companies profit by this and the Government should not succumb to the vested interests that are threatening the independence of the farmer and our rich traditional seed and crop varieties that have sustained us for generations. 

The Jan 30 Fast is being reported in various newspapers.  Sources: Left --Indian Expess.  Below -- The Hindu. 

Fast against GM crops on Martyr’s Day planned
Roy Mathew

The members of the Coalition for GM-Free India and the National Alliance for People’s Movements and other groups will organise fast and candle light vigil on January 30 to protest against introduction of genetically modified crops in India.
The protest is being organised to coincide with the Martyr’s Day and the last day of official national consultation hearing on Bt. Brinjal which is proposed to be released for cultivation in the country.
“Better fast today than eat GM food tomorrow,” will be the slogan of various organising gathering for the protest in Thiruvananthapuram and elsewhere in the country.

The organisers have launched a Web site www.brinjal.org to mobilise support.