Students, Faculty, Police, Public say NO TO GM.

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Students, Faculty, Police, Public say " NO TO GM "

Living Farms, 22.10.08

 

Bhubaneswar:

The " I AM NO LAB RAT " Road Show ended today. It was a peak performance

even on the last day as students, the faculty members of the

educational institutions, the police personnel standing guard over

college elections as well as members of the public said an emphatic NO

to Genetically Modified Food and Crops. Widespread resentment was

noticed as people spoke out vehemently against the conspiracy to poison

the worlds food chain without any public debate. The very basis of our

democracy was questioned, the unbridled rule of politicians was

criticised, the spineless acceptance of imposed policies by scientists

was jeered at and the politician-industry nexus was condemned.

 

 

 

 

At BJB College, the premier undergraduate college of the State, the

students responded enthusiastically despite being busy with election

activities. As soon as the first batch of students was convinced they

went ahead and alerted their colleagues. There was a steady stream of

students trudging in to know more. They came from all streams and all

classes. They listened and they signed, horrified that such dangerous

experiments were being conducted on the entire humankind in the name of

" feeding the hungry " .

 

 

 

The policemen keeping watch on the election process were attracted

by our campaign truck. The SPO in charge was all attention and went

through the petition leaflet. He was silent for a few moments before

bursting out in anger at those who were committing such a crime. He

said he was aware of the politics of food and that the growing list of

toxic additives worried him. " But this is atrocious, " he said, " it is

beyond imagination and beyond logic " . " These people have either gone

mad or there is some kind of a conspiracy to eliminate us. " When

informed about the latest Soviet study which discovered that rats fed

on GM food either died or became infertile his face reflected utter

disgust. He could just sign the petition and hand it over. He called

his other staff and asked them to sign too.

 

 

 

At the Orissa Computer Academy the faculty welcomed the Road Show.

They said they would be very happy if we interacted with the students.

The teachers taking classes welcomed the team when they knew of the

campaign. The students were told about the science, politics and health

hazards of GM food. They were told about how Bt Cotton, a non food

crop, had killed domestic animals in thousands and made people ill. Now

the same technology was being used on food. Bt Brinjal is to be

launched the next year followed by okra, cabbage, cowpeas, corn, soy,

papaya and even rice.

 

 

They were told about the arrogant officials of the seed

multinationals who boasted that within a couple of years the Indian

public would have no other food except GM food on their plate. The

students were angry but they did not wish to disturb the peace of the

class. They came outside and expressed their dissatisfaction at the

entire system. They wanted to know why no widespread opposition to this

monstrosity was visible. They took the Road Show team to the college

common room and once again listened with rapt attention to the entire

issue. " This is like a horror film, " they said, " this can't be

happening. "

 

 

 

The Principal of Krupajal Engineering College took one look at the

petition and called his secretary to instruct him to put up the

petition on the notice board. " These gentlemen are here on an excellent

mission, please take them to the students and allow them to interact in

whatever manner they wish. " Benches were put up at the entrance of the

institute building where students could have a look at the petition,

read it and sign. Not only the students, the faculty members too took

keen interest. Even the security guards went through our literature and

without a murmur put up the posters of the campaign on the notice board.

 

 

 

The students of the Rama Devi Women's College the Road Show visited

did not want to believe such a thing was happening. They took some time

to convince. They raised eyebrows about the infertility part. " So it is

population control. But it is all so sadistic. We cannot imagine that

our own government that is behind all this. Will it be enough if we

just sign the petition? Can we not think of some more avenues of

protest? Can you visit us after the elections? We cannot allow anybody

to play with our freedom, our lives and health. What has this world

come to? A few crazy scientists sitting in the USA think they can get

away with anything? Hey, this is India! You don't play around with an

emerging Superpower! "

 

 

The Road Show ended today. But the team takes a lot of satisfaction

to know that despite the full scale efforts of the wealthy and powerful

the spirit of India is not broken. The new and emerging India is

willing to take up challenges and assert its rights. Thank you Lab Rat.

Thank you for all that you have done. Please show us the way to the

next step of the campaign. Let us arise, awake and stop not till the

monster called Genetic Modification is totally destroyed.

 

 

 

(Debjeet Sarangi) (Jagannath Chatterjee)

Living Farms

 

 

 

One vaccine decreases cell-mediated immunity by 50%, two vaccines by 70%…all

triple vaccines (MMR, DTaP) markedly impair cell-mediated immunity, which

predisposes to recurrent viral infections - Dr H H Fudenberg, world renowned

immunologist.

 

 

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