Jhabua. The farmers have branded vegetables of BT variety as American weapons meant for ruining the country. Hundreds of farmers converging at Jhabua on Tuesday opposed BT varieties of vegetables, cotton and paddy. These farmers had gathered under the banner of Beej Swaraj Abhiyan and Sampark organisation.

Most of the farmers were from the district’s most fertile regions Raipuria and Petlawad. These farmers took out a rally from bus stand to collector office. During this period, the farmers for some time blocked Indore-Ahmedabad national highway at Rajgarh crossing. Two farmers were dressed as Americans and their intent to destroy India was written on their clothes. The participating farmers were carrying placards against BT varieties. These included women in large numbers. On reaching the collector office they handed over a memorandum addressed to the district administration and the Prime Minister to the SDM Prahlad Amrachia.

Agriculture Sector Will Be Ruined: The memorandum given by the farmers said that even earlier thousands of farmers have been pushed into debt trap by bringing BT Cotton. Under these circumstances thousands of farmers were forced to commit suicide. In view of this, permission for these seeds should not be given. The memorandum said if genetically modified BT brinjal, tomato, lady finger and rice came to market bio-diversity of agriculture and food security would be endangered. If the government did not take steps, agriculture of the country would be ruined. To avoid such situation farmers in all the villages in Malwa-Nimad area would rise for seed satyagrah.

The convener of Beej Swaraj Abhiyan Nilesh Desai said seeds of foodgrains and vegetables prepared from BT technique will destroy the country. The US had deep rooted conspiracy behind propagation of these genetically polluted seeds. The demonstrators included Bherulal Solanki, Bhuwansingh Gehlot, Shambhulal Patidar of Kashtkar Sangha, Lakshman Muria of Lok Jagriti Manch, Brij Bhushan Singh Rathore of Seemant Kisan Parishad, etc., were among the demonstrators. They said that they would hold a forceful demonstration in Delhi on the forthcoming May 6.

Effigy Would Not Be Burnt Here

Demonstrating farmers had brought with them American vegetables to oppose BT varieties. They made effort to burn this effigy in the collector office compound. On this the SDM Amrachia stopped them and said the effigy would not be burnt here. On this the demonstrating farmers went to highway outside the collectorate and burnt the effigy there. During this period, traffic came to a halt on the national highway.

(Translated from original Hindi news report, published in Nav Bharat, Indore, dated 9 April 2008)