'@drvandanashiva writes to MPs to prevent the mega Monopoly of #Monsanto #Bayer from looting Indians & save India from terminator #GMMustard pic.twitter.com/LmBw3ZhaSZ
— Navdanya (@NavdanyaBija) September 21, 2016
Press Release
New Delhi, 21st September 2016: Renowned environmentalist Dr. Vandana Shiva has written letters to over 300 Members of Parliament from the Rajya and Lok Sabha requesting them to uphold our Constitution and prevent illegal actions of MNCs such as Monsanto and Bayer.
Dr Shiva is asking the MPs to intervene on behalf of Indians and prevent the corporate takeover of India’s markets and biodiversity. The letter says “as a Parliamentarian of India, we do hope you will defend the country’s laws and not allow underhand and illegal activities of Monsanto to threaten the sovereignty of the Indian Constitution and undermine the regulatory framework that defends the rights of the Indian people.”
The Seed Corporation Monsanto, now Bayer by claiming patents on seeds is in direct violation of Article 3J of the Indian Patent Act which does not allow patents on plants and animals. Further, the company is being probed by the Competition Commission of India was abuse of dominant position and infringements of the Competition Act. Monsanto in little less than a decade has already collected over Rs 5000 crore worth of illegal royalties from the poor Indian farmers and is directly responsible for over 84 % of the 300,000 farmers’ suicides in India.
Through the letter, Dr Shiva has asked for White Paper to be called for in the Parliament to expose all those people who receive funds and are complicit with foreign corporations like Monsanto that are exploiting Indian farmers.
Addressing the Bt Cotton disaster and Genetically Modified Mustard the letter said, “Even while the Monsanto’s illegitimate claims to IPRs in the areas of seeds and plants are now out in the open, a new IPR scam is in the making. The chemical industry is getting ready to push the GM-Mustard (DMH-11). The GM mustard being promoted as a public sector “innovation” is based on barnase/barstar/ gene system to create male-sterile plants and a bar gene for Glufosinate Resistance. In 2002 Pro-Agro’s (Bayer) application for approval for commercial planting of GM Mustard based on the same system was rejected.”
The letter exposes the GM mustard is a Bayer product and Deepak Pental is the front-man for pushing this technology in India.
The letter further analyses the mega merger between the Monsanto-Bayer, Dow-DuPont, Syngenta-ChemChina and explains how these will create a global seed and chemical monopoly. It requested the Indian Parliamentarians to rise to block the mergers at least in India.
Dr. Shiva speaking at a public meeting said, “The Indian Parliament is part of a great legacy that has stood for democracy and justice. Our Parliamentarians have given India laws that protect all life, including those of plants and animals. But today, our laws, our Constitution and even now the health of India is under threat from MNCs such as Monsanto. With over 300,000 farmers committed suicide because of Bt Cotton and Rs 5000 crore stolen from poor farmers as illegal royalties, the government should be careful before they introduce GM Mustard.”
Speaking further on GM Mustard she said, “I have reviewed the biosafety document on GM Mustard. It contains huge inconsistencies and is highly vague. Proper safety measures and feeding studies have not been conducted. I ask the GEAC to set up an Independent Commission to review the biosafety of GM Mustard before any decision is taken.”
————————————————
For any more information please contact
Indra Shekhar Singh 9910589556
Also read:
Dr Vandana Shiva’s letter to Indian PM Narendra Modi and other MEPs – Press Coverage
26 September 2016
Monsanto Quit India – Letter to PMO
Posted In 2016 Days of Action | 8 September 2016
Monsanto Quit India – Letters to Members of Indian Parliament
Posted In 2016 Days of Action | 20 – 24 September 2016
GMO-Mustard Bio-safety Assessment: A Scientific Fraud on the Nation
by Dr Vandana Shiva, 17 September 2016
NEWS TAG: SARSON SATYAGRAHA
Related Campaigns
Sarson Satyagraha – Civil Disobedience against GMO Mustard
No Comments to "Monsanto Quit India- Dr Vandana Shiva writes to members of Parliament of India seeking a ban on Monsanto and GMOs"