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Fasting at the Martyr’s Square, Palayam.  This is the main event organised jointly by various organisations from all districts under the banner of the Kerala Agriculture-Environmental Collective.  Important personalities including the Minister for Agriculture, Sri Mullakara Rathnakaran, Other Ministers, Poetess and Environmentalist Sugathakumari, Chairman, KSBB, Dr V S Vijayan, Prominent film personalities, writers, poets, social activists, scientists, farmers, environmentalists, students, consumer organisations etc will participated.
Minister calls for nation-wide struggle against GM crops

PROTEST: A hunger strike observed by the Kerala Agriculture-Environment Collective before the Martyrs’ Column in Thiruvananthapuram on Saturday as part of a nation-wide agitation against the government move to permit commercial cultivation of Bt brinjal.

Thiruvananthapuram: Minister for Agriculture Mullakkara Ratnakaran has called for a nation-wide consensus in the struggle against genetically modified crops in India.

Addressing a day-long hunger strike organised by the Kerala Agricultural and Environment Collective before the Martyrs’ Column here to protest against the move by the government of India to permit commercial cultivation of Bt.Brinjal, he said the introduction of GM crops would affect the food sovereignty of the country.

“India does not need GM crops to achieve food security; we only have to ensure that our farmland and farmers are protected,” he said. Millions of hectares of farmland are diverted for other purposes.

Reversing the trend is crucial in the drive for food security, GM crops are not.” The Minister said GM crops would lead to the loss of seed sovereignty.

“Driven by profit motives, global corporates are out to make India a laboratory for GM crops with little regard for health hazards. Protecting farmland and encouraging farmers is the only solution to this problem,” he added.

Poet and activist Sugathakumari, poet O.N.V Kurup and chairman of the Kerala State Biodiversity Board V.S. Vijayan spoke.

The hunger strike was organised as part of a nation-wide agitation against Bt.Brinjal.

The All India Kisan Sabha, DYFI, Sakhi, Thanal, Mahila Samakhya Society, Organic Farmers’ Committee, Ore Bhoomi Ore Jeevan, Gandhi Smaraka Nidhi, Abhaya, AIYF, Kerala Sastra Sahitya Parishad, Kerala Sthree Vedi, Kerala Swathantra Matsya Thozhilali Federation, Solidarity Youth Movement, All India Solidarity Peace Council, People’s Union for Civil Liberties, Chilla, Zero Waste Centre, Progressive Forum, SUCI, and the Thiruvananthapuram Jilla Upabhoktru Samithi took part in the hunger strike

Courtesy – The Hindu

Hundreds stage fast against Bt Brinjal

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: ”In Japan, there was a move by the government to import genetically modified soyabean. The people strongly objected  to it and the government had to give up the move,’’ said Katsuko Nakano, an artist from Japan, who was seen at the venue of the one-day fast staged here on Saturday to stop introduction of Bt Brinjal and to protect the food sovereignty of the country.With a black scarf around her head and a pink umbrella that she shared with social scientist Saradha Mani, Katsuko Nakano could not stop herself from attending the protest, after she heard about it from a friend. Neither could film actor Rohini, who joined in a little late. “I could not become part of it in Tamil Nadu, so I thought I will do it here,’’ she said.Rohini, incidentally, along with Revathy has just finished a film on the issue called `Kathirikkai’.  The film, intended to create an awareness on the ill-effects of the toxic brinjal, was released a couple of days ago in Tamil Nadu.It was indeed quite an interesting mix of people from various walks of life at the Martyr’s Square where Agriculture Minister Mullakkara Ratnakaran inaugurated the fast a little way behind schedule. Mullakkara, obviously happy that Kerala is taking a lead in the campaign against GM crops, said that many other states would soon follow suit in banning GM crops.  The function was graced by the presence of poets ONV Kurup and Sugathakumari and Biodiversity Board chairman Dr V.S. Vijayan.Mararikulam panchayat president Priyesh Kumar joined in the fast here, as he could not be in Alappuzha. Many of the protestors wore a badge which read `I am on a fast’ and a chain of brinjals around their necks. Even the incense sticks, in front of Mahatma Gandhi’s picture, were stuck on plump green brinjals. An interesting poster at the venue read: “Genetically modified food are likely to be on your plate soon – 100 percent side-effects guaranteed.’’  Farmers, government officials, senior citizens, teachers, artists and a few students took part in the satyagraha, unmindful of the blistering sun. In the evening, MBS choir gave a performance which was followed by a candle-light oath-taking to protect India’s food sovereignty. The various organisations which took part in the protest include the All-India Kisan Sabha, AIYF, Gandhi Smaraka Nidhi, Kerala Sastra Sahitya Parishad, Kerala Swathanthra Matsya Thozhilali Federation, Jaiva Karshaka Samithi, AIPSO, Progressive Forum, PUCL, KSSF, Swadeshi Jagran Manch, Solidarity Students Movement, Thanal, Abhaya, SEWA., SAKHI, OEOL, Kerala Mahila Samakhya Society, Kerala Sthree Vedi, Zero Waste Centre and Chilla.

Courtesy – Expressbuzz

If you are using Twitter and Firefox then you can follow Dr. Shashi Tharoor with quick time updates which a MP can do for transparency of his service.

Popular tweeters of the day

Best wishes to Dr. Tharoor for winning with a majority of 99998 Votes.
For a change, one cannot expect the young voters to massively vote for this handsome, high-profile candidate, as even their political allegiances are highly polarized and dedicated.

What then would be Tharoor’s fate? As calculated by the party, he would have to rely on the urban areas with progressive-minded professionals and young voters who are fed up with the traditional politicians of yore, who had given inspiring speeches but have consistently failed to deliver. Being a Nair would be an added advantage to Tharoor.

But beyond such caste calculations, Tharoor candidature and victory would symbolise reforms in the political system and the way in which representative and party politics is practised in this country.

Thus, if Tharoor manages a win, it will mark a renaissance not just for Kerala politics but also for the future of party politics in India.

It would kindle the hopes of many politically-inspired professionals and educated youth to join active politics and aspire to contribute directly to the country’s governance and policy making.
Courtesy :: Hindustantimes

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Will be published. The article in Malayalam is available now.