Jan 30: Fast, light a candle, sign up against Bt Brinjal.

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Sign up for fast or to light a candle     | Why Save Brinjal  | Why the

National Day of Fast?

 

Dear Friends, 

 

The Indian government is considering approving genetic modification of our

fruits and vegetables starting with Brinjal.  While  a rigged up " Expert "

Committee has recommended clearance to genetically modified Bt Brinjal, due

to concerns raised by independent scientists and farmer groups, Minister Jairam

Ramesh has requested public feedback before making a decision in February. 

Let us make our voices heard and democracy work!  We can still save our

Brinjal! 

 

On January 30, the day that took Mahatma Gandhi from us, a day that also happens

to be the last day of the offical national consultation hearing on BT Brinjal,

we are planning to gather in different locations across India in prayer and

fasting to stop Bt Brinjal.  The call for a National Day of Fast is being given

by several individuals, groups and people's movements including members of the

Coalition for GM-Free India and National Alliance for People's Movements.

 

We request everyone both individually and from various groups and coalitions to

sign up to participate on the day by either fasting or lighting a candle...

either at your homes, or in groups at locations across India. The information

from all sources will be constantly updated at the easy to remember URL

 brinjal.org

 

Here is what you can do:

 

-- Sign up for fasting or lighting a candle on Jan 30: please click

here.   

 

-- Organize a fast gathering on Jan 30:  Please send an email to

aidsite to get your location listed. See venues.

 

-- For action leading up to Jan 30, please attend the national consultations and

alsowrite to the Minister your views even if you are not able to attend

personally. 

 

Sign up for fast or to light a candle      | Why Save Brinjal  | Why the

National Day of Fast?

 

Sign up note --

 

To:

 

Shri Jairam Ramesh,

Minister of State (I/C) for Environment & Forests,

Government of India.

 

 

I would like to convey to you that on Martyrs’ Day January 30 2010, I intend

to fast or light a candle to ensure that Indian farming and food systems are

free of Genetically Modified food items and to stop the Indian Government from

giving any approval to Bt Brinjal. I believe Bt Brinjal would damage our health

and adversely impact the environment owing to combining the poisonous Bt genetic

material with vegetables. More so, it will open the floodgates to such

technologies which will enslave Indian farming and threaten our food

sovereignty.

 

Genetic engineering technology is not going to solve the issue of hunger. The

answer lies in education, livelihoods, human rights and sustainable agriculture,

development and appropriate technology. 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 and crop varieties

that have sustained us for generations.

 

On January 30th, while remembering the Mahatma and his hard-fought battle of

Swarajya through Satyagraha, I choose to uphold the national food sovereignty

from needless, hazardous and enslaving technologies like GM seeds and in

particular, Bt Brinjal. I have decided to join the hands of millions across the

country to remember the Mahatma, who taught us the most equitable, just and

sustainable way towards self-reliance.

 

Click to Sign

 

 

-- The brinjal.org site is created and maintained by AID volunteers in

consultation with activists from GM-Free India coalition

 

 

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