The Hindu : KRRS stir against Bt cotton on Aug. 9

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Jul 28, 2002

Southern States

Southern States - Karnataka

KRRS stir against Bt cotton on Aug. 9

By Our Staff Correspondent

Belgaum July 27. The Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha will launch a "non-stop agitation" to oppose the cultivation of Bt cotton, in front of the Bharatiya Vigyan Kendra in Bangalore on August 9, which will coincide with the 60th anniversary of the Quit India Movement launched against British imperialism in 1942. Anouncing this here on Saturday, the President of the KRRS district unit, Kalyanrao Muchalambi, said the kendra had deviated from its path of working for economic sovereignty. Of late, it had become one of several instruments in the hands of the MNCs which were encouraging the use of Bt cotton in India even though it had been banned in many other countries. The KRRS decided to launch the agitation to not only oppose the cultivation of Bt cotton but also ensure that the branch of the kendra in the State was shut down. He said a large number of farmers from different parts of the State would participate in the agitation.

Farmers were cultivating Bt cotton out of ignorance, not realising the havoc the genetically modified variety would wreak on the environment. Though the promoters of Bt cotton had conducted experiments, the results were not made public.

Replying to questions, he said KRRS activists had launched an awareness campaign in rural areas targeting farmers and wholesalers/retailers of Bt cotton seeds.

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