On the eve of ‘World Food Day’, many from the city joined the chorus against Monsanto, genetically modified food, and corporatisation of food and farming systems, in Town hall, here on Friday. Farmers, scientists, activists and consumers were among those who joined members of the Coalition for a GM free Karnataka. A press release quoted P. Srinivas, co-convenor, GM Free Karnataka Coalition, as saying, “We are joining this global movement against Monsanto because this company is the poster-child of corporate greed and crimes against the environment. It is alarming that governments are getting into partnerships with this corporation and jeopardising seed sovereignty of Indian farmers.”
Speaking about the ‘failure’ of Bt cotton in Karnataka this khariff season, Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha leader Kodihalli Chandrashekhar said, “It has neither increased the yields, nor has it brought down the pesticide use.”
Freedom fighter H.S. Doraiswamy, who also participated, rued that the cotton that M.K. Gandhi “used as a weapon for our freedom struggle is now under the control of an American multinational.”
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