Save Farmer Blog

Revised press release, revised on 23 March 2002, please ignore the press release number  Ref. 890/67/59 dated 21 March 2008 which was emailed on 22 March, 2008 to select organisations and individuals.

Dated 21 March 2008                    Press Release  Ref. 890/67/59

Bt Cotton burnt on Holi eve by Activists of Save Farmer Movement, Farmers, Livestock Owners, Officers of State Agriculture Department, Children, Milk Traders, Agricultural Scientists, and General Public.

On the eve of Holi Festival on 21 March, 2002 hazardous seeds of BT cotton were burnt by activists of Save Farmer Movement (called 'Kisan Bachao Andolan' in Hindi) with active participation of general public at Hisar City of Haryana State, India. In this ritual, Farmers, Livestock Owners, Officers of State Agriculture Department, Children, Milk Traders, Agricultural Scientists, and General Public were present.

Burning of Holi is an ancient ritual, which reminds us of mythological story of burning of Holika the sister of Prahalad. Prahalad was son of Hiranayakashyap, the mighty demon king who did not feared even God; and felt that he was himself God and whatever he did was right & just. He forced each person of his kingdom to worship him rather than the Almighty God. He even used to routinely kill the devotees of God and Lord Vishnu. Prahalad, being a staunch devotee of Lord Vishnu, was also ordered to be burnt by his father. His sister, who was blessed with immunity from fire, took him in middle of fire. Everybody expected that Holika will come out of fire alive and Prahalad will be devoured by fire. Due to grace of God, Prahalad survived the fire, but his sister Holika died, though he was sitting on the lap of his sister.

On this occasion of symbolic burning of BT Cotton, gathered people were appealed to safeguard their health and purity of environment by boycotting BT Cotton and demand milk from animals that are not fed BT Cotton seeds in the feed.

National coordinator of Save Farmer Movement, Dr Sudhir Kumar Kaura, who was the chief organiser of this program, administered the oath of boycotting the BT cotton. He explained that the genetically modified plants like BT Cotton are a symbol of the demon power of Holika and Farmer is a symbol of Devotee Prahalad. The dangerous plants like BT cotton should be banned and boycotted by the power of true knowledge of farmers who have experienced its damaging effects on humans, animals and ecology. Fire is a symbol of pure and true knowledge that is in fact burning the urge to use or portray genetically modified plants like BT Cotton as a solution to problems of agriculture and will in fact save the Farmer.

Dr Kaura said that it is a new twist to opposition of genetically modified plants where common people who consume milk produced from genetically modified animal feed are coming out on roads openly against government policies of blindly promoting the GM plants despite their proven disastrous effect. They are readily using their ancient rituals to send a message to not so educated and illiterate farmers when the educated officers in the government, political leaders and scientists have shown utter failure in stopping the GM plants in India. Even illiterate persons are becoming more and more aware of damaging effects of the dangerous GM plants on humans, animals and environment in rural and urban areas due to their ready access to rich experiences and effective interaction with their rural counterparts who have closely experienced the havoc of BT Cotton on animals like animal death, chronic failure of reproduction, reduction in milk yield, general weakness, itching and allergy like symptoms both in animals and humans, general decline in soil fertility due to toxic effect of BT Cotton.

In India, daily thousands of farmers and milk traders from rural areas reach urban colonies where they are now faced with the barrage of questions from milk consumers. Most of the consumers wish to have milk from animals that are not fed genetically modified plants like BT Cotton. On the contrary, at present majority of the animals reared for milk in India are fed BT cottonseed in their feed in one form or other.

Sweets (Prasad) were distributed after successful completion of the program of burning of BT Cotton in Spiritual Holi Fire. A signature campaign has been launched in the area with the help of ECO-India for submitting a petition to all leaders/administrators of world to request them to stop the approval and further extension to the growing of GM plants in their respective countries. This petition can be signed online at www.ECOIndia.co.cc by person of any nationality.

Sudhir Kumar Kaura

PhD

National Coordinator,

Save Farmer Movement (Kisan Bachao Andolan)

www.KisanBachaoAndolan.co.cc

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