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

[Guest guest]

Good Day Brothers and Sisters,Its Sunday, 24th January 2010Dear 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: Sign Up Here.

 

-- Organize a fast gathering on Jan 30: Please send an email to aidsite (AT) gmail (DOT) com to get your location listed. See venues.

 

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

consultations and also write 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.

 

Sign Up Here

 

-- The www.brinjal.org site is created and maintained by AID volunteers in consultation with activists from GM-Free India coalitionAbove post courtesy "Jagannath Chatterjee" <jagchat01--------- --------- --------- --------- --------

Your comments and feedbacks always welcome .. Rahul, at Cybugle as well as at bruntno1------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- ----

Working for God on earth does not pay much, but His Retirement plan is out of this world.

Help someone have a nice day,

visit www.thehungersite. com

 

With best wishes,

 

 

 

 

 

Love you all

 

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