As if in a spontaneous response to a call, as many as 30 citizens came out and participated in the March Against Monsanto on MG Road.
With mottos of “I don’t need Monsanto entering India” and “I don’t want to eat a genetically modified product”, supporters got together to protest against Monsanto, the American biotechnology corporation. Protest marches were held in six continents, 36 countries, totaling events in over 250 cities including Bangalore and New Delhi.
Fearing that the biotechnology-giant will monopolise food in the country, Rachita Taneja, a participant at the march, said that it was essential to keep the seed giant at bay to protect farmers. “When the wave of Bt cotton came about few years ago, our farmers went into agrarian distress and committed suicide. We don’t want that phenomenon repeating.”
She feared that the Biotechnology Regulatory Authority of India Bill, 2013 that was tabled in the Lok Sabha on April 22 would provide a single window clearance for GM crops to enter the country. “Monsanto has lobbied a lot for this kind of easy entry and monopoly on our foods,” Taneja said.
Arvind Shivakumar, a member of Greenpeace India, an NGO, insisted on compulsory labeling of GM foods. “Some day, I might be eating GM rice without even knowing it because there is no label on it,” he said. “I don’t want such crops to be grown on our soil. It will only push our farmers into more debts.” Shivakumar further pointed at the lack of transparency in the testing methods followed by Monsanto.
“GM food is not a solution to hunger in our country,” said Swati Mehta, a writer.
With mottos of “I don’t need Monsanto entering India” and “I don’t want to eat a genetically modified product”, supporters got together to protest against Monsanto, the American biotechnology corporation. Protest marches were held in six continents, 36 countries, totaling events in over 250 cities including Bangalore and New Delhi.
Fearing that the biotechnology-giant will monopolise food in the country, Rachita Taneja, a participant at the march, said that it was essential to keep the seed giant at bay to protect farmers. “When the wave of Bt cotton came about few years ago, our farmers went into agrarian distress and committed suicide. We don’t want that phenomenon repeating.”
She feared that the Biotechnology Regulatory Authority of India Bill, 2013 that was tabled in the Lok Sabha on April 22 would provide a single window clearance for GM crops to enter the country. “Monsanto has lobbied a lot for this kind of easy entry and monopoly on our foods,” Taneja said.
Arvind Shivakumar, a member of Greenpeace India, an NGO, insisted on compulsory labeling of GM foods. “Some day, I might be eating GM rice without even knowing it because there is no label on it,” he said. “I don’t want such crops to be grown on our soil. It will only push our farmers into more debts.” Shivakumar further pointed at the lack of transparency in the testing methods followed by Monsanto.
“GM food is not a solution to hunger in our country,” said Swati Mehta, a writer.
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