Referring to corporate control over the farm sector and the resultant agrarian crisis, noted writer Devanur Mahadeva said that an invisible third world war on working people was on. He was addressing a State-level farmers’ conference at APMC market yard here on Sunday, after inaugurating the event by burning Bt cotton plants destroyed by pink-bollworm pest attack. The event was organised jointly by Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha (KRRS), Jana Sangram Parishath (JSP), Grameena Krishi Cooli Karmikara Sanghatane, Bharat Gyan Vigyan Samiti, Hyderabad Karnataka Raitha Sangha, State Bt Cotton Eradication Committee and other organisations.
“If we look around with sensitivity, we find an invisible imperialist war on working people. Unlike the wars in the past, the present war is invisible. Imperialist forces have turned our food and water into poison. Our soil and seed are being killed,” he said.
Bt cottonMr. Mahadeva focused on Bt cotton crop destroyed by pink-bollworm pest attack in Raichur and other districts, despite the pest-resistance claims made by seed producers.
“Bt cotton cultivation is proving to be fatal for farmersThe Bt cotton fields are being destroyed by pests, forcing the farmers to prepare a noose from the same cotton fibre,” he said.
Mr. Mahadeva criticised successive Indian governments for serving their imperialist masters by formulating pro-corporate and anti-farmer agrarian policies.
“Thirty eight countries in the world have banned Bt cotton cultivation. But India didn’t do it. For multinational corporations, India and its people and crop are just a laboratory for their research,” he said.
Mr. Mahadeva called upon people to wean away from corporate-driven agriculture and gradually move towards sustainable natural farming. “We need to be more sensitive and get united for a larger fight for protecting Indian agriculture from corporate onslaught,” he said.
Pay compensationChamarasa Malipatil, State president of KRRS, demanded the government hold Bt cotton seed companies responsible for crop destruction in the pest attack and compel them to pay compensation to affected farmers.
“The seed producing companies claimed that Bt cotton crop was resistant to pink-bollworm pest. However, the very same pest has destroyed the crop in the State. Hence, the government should hold the seed producers responsible and force them to pay compensation,” he said. He also sought relief to drought-hit farmers and farm loan waiver.
The conference was presided over by Raghavendra Kushtagi, State working president of JSP.
