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Gandhi still inspires; youths observe fast against Bt Brinjal at Jantar Mantar

Date      : 30th Jan 2010
Location:  Jantar Mantar, CP,New Delhi, INDIA

Around 50 youths in the Capital sought to follow Mahatma Gandhi's footsteps on Martyrs' Day by observing one-day fast to protest the introduction of Bt Brinjal in India and protect country's food sovereignty.

These youths, who were also joined by lakhs of people across the country, also held a candle-light vigil at Jantar Mantar and walked to Raj Ghat to pay their homage to the Father of the Nation. The one-day fast was observed in support of Mahatma Gandhi's dream of Hind Swaraj and to uphold the food sovereignty of the country from the onslaught of technologies like GM seeds, Mr Arun Raj of GM Free India Campaign said.

Explaining the harmful effects of Bt Brinjal, Mr Raj informed that in these crops, genes from unrelated organisms like bacteria and viruses are being inserted into our food plants.
''The insertion of these foreign genes into brinjal causes a lot of disruptions at the genomic level that will lead to several health and environmental impacts,'' he added.
These foods have been documented to cause a lot of adverse health impacts like allergies, damaging liver, kidneys, pancreas and also lead to infertility problems.
He said they have three demands from the government. First, it should ensure health safety through legitimate and adequate studies on the Bt Brinjal. Second, all the environmental hazards should be ascertained through studies and dealt with beforehand. Third, the Committee that cleared Bt Brinjal did not have impartial members as some of them were associated with the industry.
''Even the Chairman of the Committee, Arjula Reddy, had confessed that it was approved under Agriculture Ministry's pressure,'' Mr Raj stated.

The fast was observed in more than 64 cities throughout the country and was supported by people's movements, farmers' unions and NGOs.

                                         -- (UNI) -Read more >> http://aidindia.org/main/content/blogcategory/0/442/

                                                                           http://news.webindia123.com/news/Articles/India/20100130/1435793.html