{"id":1044,"date":"2017-05-12T08:13:00","date_gmt":"2017-05-12T07:13:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/navdanyainternational.org\/sarson-satyagraha-may-2017\/"},"modified":"2023-05-08T15:59:50","modified_gmt":"2023-05-08T13:59:50","slug":"sarson-satyagraha-may-2017","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/navdanyainternational.org\/it\/sarson-satyagraha-may-2017\/","title":{"rendered":"Navdanya condemns GEAC decision on GM Mustard \u2013 writes to Environment Minister"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/rzJewyUXuBc\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">\u201c[\u2026] Navdanya with the National Women\u2019s Alliance for Food Sovereignty (Mahila Anna Swaraj) started the Sarson Satyagraha to bring back our pure mustard oil. The first bottle of the Satyagraha Mustard Oil was gifted to the then Chief Minister of Delhi, Sahib Singh Varma. Today we are able to enjoy our mustard oil because of the Sarson Satyagraha of 1998.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Our mustard is once again under threat, this time, from genetic engineering of mustard for sterility and herbicide tolerance by Dr. Deepak Pental of Delhi University. [\u2026]\u201d (GMO in my mustard, By Dr Vandana Shiva \u2013 The Asian Age, 11 August 2015).<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h4><strong>Navdanya condemns GEAC decision on GM Mustard \u2013 writes to Environment Minister<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p>Press Release<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>\u201cWe can produce more food and safe food without GMOs. Just as Bt cotton got farmers into debt, GM mustard is a recipe for debt, crop failure, genetic contamination of our pure organic mustard, and pollution of our food with the herbicide Glufosinate, a neurotoxin\u201d \u2014 Dr Vandana Shiva<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><strong><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1032 alignleft\" style=\"border-width: 10px; margin: 10px;\" src=\"https:\/\/navdanyainternational.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/Basta.png\" width=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/navdanyainternational.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/Basta.png 1754w, https:\/\/navdanyainternational.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/Basta-212x300.png 212w, https:\/\/navdanyainternational.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/Basta-452x640.png 452w, https:\/\/navdanyainternational.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/Basta-768x1086.png 768w, https:\/\/navdanyainternational.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/Basta-724x1024.png 724w, https:\/\/navdanyainternational.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/Basta-848x1200.png 848w, https:\/\/navdanyainternational.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/Basta-566x800.png 566w, https:\/\/navdanyainternational.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/Basta-424x600.png 424w, https:\/\/navdanyainternational.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/Basta-200x283.png 200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1754px) 100vw, 1754px\" \/>New Delhi, 12 May 17<\/strong>: Condemning the Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC) decision to allow Bayer\u2019s herbicide tolerant GM Mustard, Navdanya\u2019s founder, Dr Vandana Shiva, scientist and environmentalist has given an all-India call to intensify resistance to GM Mustard and the hijacking of our food by the <a href=\"http:\/\/seedfreedom.info\/poison-cartel-toxic-capital\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Poison Cartel<\/a> of Monsanto and Bayer, MoBay. The GEAC gave a nod to Bayer\u2019s Herbicide Tolerant (HT) GM mustard on Thursday despite a case still being heard in the Supreme Court and a commitment to the Court that no decision will be made till the court gives directions. The matter is sub-judice and yet the GEAC has nonetheless gone ahead with the clearance.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">It is to note that this is the same GM Mustard of Bayer that GEAC itself rejected in 2002.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">In condemning the decision, Dr Shiva said \u201cBayer\/Monsanto are not just hijacking our food through their GMOs. They are hijacking the government, the courts and science. At the same time that GEAC has given approval to GMO mustard, Monsanto is trying to use the courts to attack our patent laws, specially <a href=\"http:\/\/seedfreedom.info\/art-3-j-of-indias-patent-law-central-to-our-national-sovereignty-and-national-interest\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Article 3 J <\/a><br \/>\nwhich specifically excludes patents on seeds, plants and animals. GMOs have the only purpose of collecting royalties through patents. They do not increase yields. They do not control pests. Nor do they control weeds. Instead, they create super-pests and super weeds.\u201d<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1034 alignleft\" style=\"border-width: 10px; margin: 10px;\" src=\"https:\/\/navdanyainternational.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/ToxicCapital.png\" width=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/navdanyainternational.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/ToxicCapital.png 3508w, https:\/\/navdanyainternational.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/ToxicCapital-212x300.png 212w, https:\/\/navdanyainternational.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/ToxicCapital-768x1086.png 768w, https:\/\/navdanyainternational.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/ToxicCapital-724x1024.png 724w, https:\/\/navdanyainternational.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/ToxicCapital-200x283.png 200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 3508px) 100vw, 3508px\" \/>Now that Bayer and Monsanto are merging, Bt Cotton and GMO Mustard potentially have one common owner, together becoming the biggest seeds and chemical conglomerate in the world.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Six months after the <a href=\"http:\/\/peoplesassembly.net\/navdanya-international-report-on-the-monsanto-tribunal-and-peoples-assembly-in-the-hague\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Monsanto Tribunal and the People\u2019s Assembly<\/a> \u2013\u00a0 co-organized by Navdanya \u2013 took place in the Hague last October, the Monsanto Tribunal, in releasing their Advisory Opinion, found that <a href=\"http:\/\/seedfreedom.info\/monsanto-tribunals-legal-opinion-reinforces-movements\/\">Monsanto\u2019s practices undermine basic human rights<\/a> and the right to a healthy environment, the right to food, and the right to health. The judges called for better protective regulations for victims of multinational corporations and that International law should clearly assert the protection of the environment and \u2018ecocide\u2019 as a crime.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Through profit-making patents, Monsanto has already pushed over 310, 000 farmers into debt and suicide and we foresee the devastation of India\u2019s biodiversity, health and farmers, and the country\u2019s seed and food sovereignty if GM Mustard is approved.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Navdanya has been resisting attempts to destroy Indian Mustard\u00a0 by starting the Sarson Satyagraha <a href=\"http:\/\/navdanya.org\/news\/510-sarson-mustard-satyagraha--dr-vandana-shiva\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">in 1998<\/a> when the first Soy Bean Oil massive import started. Over these years Navdanya has initiated <a href=\"http:\/\/seedfreedom.info\/campaign\/sarson-satyagraha-civil-disobedience-against-gmo-mustard\/#Events&amp;Actions\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">yatras<\/a> (pilgrimages) across the mustard growing states to conserve desi seeds and make the farmers aware of the threats posed by this HT GM Mustard.<\/p>\n<p>Dr. Shiva, <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/navdanyainternational.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/LetterSarsonMay2017.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">in a letter to the Environment Minister Shri Anil Madhav Dave<\/a><\/strong> sent on Friday, addressed the issue of fraud in GMO Mustard, DHM \u2013 11, and requested him to take strict action to conserve India\u2019s biodiversity and swadeshi sarson seeds.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Dr. Shiva in a statement said, \u201cThe GEAC is a compromised body, which works only for corporate interests. We know this decision of the GEAC is made under corporate pressure by Bayer and Monsanto\u201d. Every word of their \u201csafety dossier\u201d has the stamp of corporations. In fact a large number of the members of the GEAC have been directly associated with Monsanto\/ Bayer biotech lobby groups and now are only serving to promote their corporate interests.\u201d She added, \u201cThere should be public disclosure on the credentials and personal background of the members to insure integrity and transparency.\u201d<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">\u201cWe can produce more food and safe food without GMOs. Just as Bt cotton got farmers into debt, GM mustard is a recipe for debt, crop failure, genetic contamination of our pure organic mustard, and pollution of our food with the herbicide Glufosinate, a neurotoxin.\u201d<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">\u201cEvery Indian should join the movement for freedom from the Poison Cartel, their GMOs, and their toxics.\u201d<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><strong>Also read:<\/strong><\/p>\n<h4><strong><a title=\"Why Sarson Satyagraha is still needed\" href=\"\/?p=1073\">Why Sarson Satyagraha is still needed<\/a><\/strong><\/h4>\n<p>By Dr Vandana Shiva \u2013 Deccan Chronicle, 30 May 2017<\/p>\n<h4><a href=\"http:\/\/www.firstpost.com\/india\/gm-mustard-row-govts-claims-of-higher-yields-low-import-bills-untrue-says-petitioner-aruna-rodrigues-3450102.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>GM Mustard row: Govt\u2019s claims of higher yields, low import bills untrue, says petitioner Aruna Rodrigues<\/strong><\/a><\/h4>\n<p>By Indra Shekhar Singh \u2013 FirstPost, 16 May 2017<\/p>\n<h4><a href=\"http:\/\/www.firstpost.com\/india\/gm-mustard-gets-go-ahead-scientist-vandana-shiva-calls-move-fraud-perpetrated-on-nation-3442044.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>GM mustard gets go-ahead: Scientist Vandana Shiva calls move \u2018fraud perpetrated on nation\u2019<\/strong><\/a><\/h4>\n<p>By Indra Shekhar Singh \u2013 FirstPost, 13 May 2017<\/p>\n<h4><strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.millenniumpost.in\/nation\/nation-241717\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Environmentalists slam govt move on GM mustard<\/a><\/strong><\/h4>\n<p>Millenium Post, 12 May 2017<\/p>\n<h4><strong><a href=\"http:\/\/seedfreedom.info\/gmo-mustard-bio-safety-assessment-a-scientific-fraud-on-the-nation\/\">GMO-Mustard Bio-safety Assessment: A Scientific Fraud on the Nation<\/a><\/strong><\/h4>\n<p><strong><img decoding=\"async\" class=\" size-full wp-image-1038\" src=\"https:\/\/navdanyainternational.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/BayerREF.gif\" width=\"900\" \/><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>by Dr Vandana Shiva, 17 September 2016<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><strong>Related Campaign<\/strong><\/p>\n<h4><strong><a href=\"http:\/\/seedfreedom.info\/campaign\/sarson-satyagraha-civil-disobedience-against-gmo-mustard\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Sarson Satyagraha \u2013 Civil Disobedience against GMO Mustard<\/a><\/strong><\/h4>\n<hr \/>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>\u201c[\u2026] Navdanya with the National Women\u2019s Alliance for Food Sovereignty (Mahila Anna Swaraj) started the Sarson Satyagraha to bring back our pure mustard oil. The first bottle of the Satyagraha Mustard Oil was gifted to the then Chief Minister of Delhi, Sahib Singh Varma. Today we are able to enjoy our mustard oil because of [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":4706,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"video","meta":{"pgc_sgb_lightbox_settings":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[345,50,161,23],"tags":[102,88,90,83],"class_list":["post-1044","post","type-post","status-publish","format-video","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-in-focus","category-news","category-our-articles","category-press-releases","tag-gmos","tag-india","tag-navdanya-india","tag-vandana-shiva","post_format-post-format-video","thematic_area-seed-freedom"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/navdanyainternational.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/900-Sarson-May-2017.png","wpml_translations":[{"language_code":"en","post_id":1044,"original":true}],"custom_fields":{"_thumbnail_id":["4706"],"_fgj2wp_old_id":["390"],"_wpml_media_duplicate":["1"],"_wp_attachment_metadata":[""],"_edit_lock":["1631017472:2"],"_edit_last":["2"],"wpl_sidebar_option":["on"],"wpl_featured_image_post":["on"],"wpl_share_buttons":["on"],"_wpml_media_featured":["1"],"_wpml_media_has_media":["1"],"_alp_processed":["1552411791"]},"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p9KkNM-gQ","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/navdanyainternational.org\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1044","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/navdanyainternational.org\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/navdanyainternational.org\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/navdanyainternational.org\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/navdanyainternational.org\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1044"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/navdanyainternational.org\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1044\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":22094,"href":"https:\/\/navdanyainternational.org\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1044\/revisions\/22094"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/navdanyainternational.org\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4706"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/navdanyainternational.org\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1044"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/navdanyainternational.org\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1044"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/navdanyainternational.org\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1044"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}