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Subject: 'Cremation Monsanto' Continues in Karnataka
'The Hindu'-(Shimoga Edition)
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KRRS activists destroy Bt cotton crop
Shimoga, Jan.3. As planned, the farmers here on Wednesday, destroyed the trial Bt Cotton crop grown in Savalanga, 20 km from here, in the presence of a police posse, as part of their struggle against the use of the genetically-modified seeds.
Volunteers of the newly-formed 'Hasiru Sene'(Green Brigade)-the youth wing of the KRRS - rushed to the field belonging to a farmer, Gangadharaiah, on the Savalanga - Shikaripur Road this evening and uprooted the Bt cotton crop and destroyed it by setting it on fire.
Though tension prevailed for some time until the operation was over, no arrests were made, according to reports received here. The police who were clearly outnumbered, watched the incident helplessly.
It was stated that even as the leaders of the KRRS, including the President, Prof.Nanjundaswamy and the President of the Bharatiya Kisan Union(BKU), Choudhary Mahendra Singh Tikait, were addressing an impromptu public meeting from a makeshift platform on the trailer of a tractor, a group of 100 volunteers sporting green towels raised slogans and rushed to the field, taking the police froce by surprice, and destroyed the Bt Cotton. They were followed by the farmer leaders including Prof. M.D. Nanjundaswamy and Choudhary Mahendra Singh Tikait, who watched the destruction of the genetically-modified cotton species against which the KRRS has been waging a battle to stop the application of the biotechnology to agriculture on the plea it is harmful to the environment and does incalculable damage to traditional and indigenous agricultural methods.
When contacted, Gangadharaiah said he was not unhappy over the incident and had no regrets as he had not grown the Bt cotton trial crop.
He said it was MAHYCO- a seed manufacturing company - that had raised it on a 10-gunta plot on his farm.He was not aware of what had been grown on it and denied any knowledge about the new cotton species.
The pubilc meeting concluded after the destruction of the Bt cotton crop was over with the KRRS leaders asserting that they would not allow the introduction of genetically-modified seeds as it had been conclusively proved the world over that they were dangerous to the environment as well as to time tested traditional farm practices.
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Ryots destroy Bt cotton
DH News Service
SHIMOGA, Jan 3
http://www.deccanherald.com/deccanherald/jan04/s8a.htm
DECCAN HERALD Thursday, January 4, 2001
Farmers belonging to the Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha today destroyed Bt Cotton crop sown in Sowlanga near Honnali taluk of Davanagere district today.
This is part of the eradication of Bt Cotton from Karnataka, KRRS President Prof M D Nanjundaswamy announced. Apart from Prof Nanjundaswamy, President of the Bharat Kisan Union Mahendra Singh Tikait and general secretary of KRRS K T Gangadhar led the operation.
Speaking at a public meeting in Sowlanga, Prof Nanjundaswamy listed the dangers of BT Cotton and called for its destruction. As soon as this was announced, around 300 farmer activists went into the farm and burnt it. The 50- odd policemen were a mute witness to the incident.
Later, speaking to Deccan Herald, owner of the land, Mr Gangadharappa said that Mico company had given him the seeds to sow on an experimental basis. Company officials used to visit the farm from time to time to examine the progress of the crop. The company had however not told him it was Bt Cotton, Mr Gangadharappa said that if he had any idea that it was Bt Cotton, he would not have taken the trouble of sowing it at all. --- © Copyright, 1999 The Printers (Mysore) Ltd. [Email to Editor] [Main Page..Text Version] [Main Page..Graphic Version]
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