As a part of an international campaign in 392 cities across 48 countries to protest introduction of genetically modified (GM) crops, activists will be organizing a 'March against Monsanto' on Saturday. In India, the march will be held in Bangalore, Madurai and Nagpur.
Nagpur Beejotsav Group (NBG) from Vidarbha region will be holding the march from Samvidhan square to Variety square at 5pm. Tanmay Joshi from NBG said that over 100-150 activists and citizens would be participating. "Our protest is not just against Monsanto. It is against every company or organization involved in genetic modification of agricultural crops and food produced from them. Since Monsanto, a US multinational, is the biggest GM producing company, the protest is named so. It also produces the most harmful chemicals used in agriculture. We oppose any GM in agriculture," he told TOI.
Beejotsav will particularly be protesting the invitation by Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to Monsanto for setting up the world's second largest seed production hub at Deulgaoraja in Buldhana district in Vidarbha. Joshi said NBG will be writing to CM through the district collector. "It was really sad that two agriculture universities at Rahuri and Parbhani in Maharashtra were conducting biosafety trials for GM maize," he added.
In US and Canada people are demanding labelling of all GMO products with the details of technology used. In fact entire Europe is also demanding that all GM based foods served in hotels should also be made public. It would be mandatory for restaurants and hotels to display that they served GM foods.
"The biggest opposition to Monsanto is coming from its own country. Yet unfortunately it is being welcomed by India," said Akash Naoghare from NBG. He claimed that scientific studies had shown GM foods and agrochemicals could lead to serious health conditions such as cancer, infertility, birth defects etc.
Another NBG member Rupinder Nanda said that in Friday's march, participants would educate citizens about the available alternatives like organic farming, use of on desi varieties in cultivation. "We would also be telling people that effort is on to produce the Indian flag from pure desi cotton material and not Bt cotton material that is being used at present. Shyamla Sanyan, also a NBG member, said the country was fast losing its biodiversity.
Nagpur Beejotsav Group (NBG) from Vidarbha region will be holding the march from Samvidhan square to Variety square at 5pm. Tanmay Joshi from NBG said that over 100-150 activists and citizens would be participating. "Our protest is not just against Monsanto. It is against every company or organization involved in genetic modification of agricultural crops and food produced from them. Since Monsanto, a US multinational, is the biggest GM producing company, the protest is named so. It also produces the most harmful chemicals used in agriculture. We oppose any GM in agriculture," he told TOI.
Beejotsav will particularly be protesting the invitation by Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to Monsanto for setting up the world's second largest seed production hub at Deulgaoraja in Buldhana district in Vidarbha. Joshi said NBG will be writing to CM through the district collector. "It was really sad that two agriculture universities at Rahuri and Parbhani in Maharashtra were conducting biosafety trials for GM maize," he added.
In US and Canada people are demanding labelling of all GMO products with the details of technology used. In fact entire Europe is also demanding that all GM based foods served in hotels should also be made public. It would be mandatory for restaurants and hotels to display that they served GM foods.
"The biggest opposition to Monsanto is coming from its own country. Yet unfortunately it is being welcomed by India," said Akash Naoghare from NBG. He claimed that scientific studies had shown GM foods and agrochemicals could lead to serious health conditions such as cancer, infertility, birth defects etc.
Another NBG member Rupinder Nanda said that in Friday's march, participants would educate citizens about the available alternatives like organic farming, use of on desi varieties in cultivation. "We would also be telling people that effort is on to produce the Indian flag from pure desi cotton material and not Bt cotton material that is being used at present. Shyamla Sanyan, also a NBG member, said the country was fast losing its biodiversity.