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Page 1: GMOs for dummies

Genes are the basic functional unit of heredity, transferred from parent organism to its offspring. Genes carry the blueprint of life

codified in the double helical structures called DNA.

Genes define the characteristics, structure, growth and behaviour of the organism to a large extent. Long limbs, Blue eyes, Red flowers, Blue wings, broad leaves, muscular body, high IQ etc for example might be greatly impacted by GENES.

Nature perfects Genes over millions of years. How can it be wise to play with

them? Would this not upset the delicate balance of nature

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What are Genes?

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1. Genes, their structure and functioning are extremely complex. 2. Our know-how on the primary and secondary reactions that might be caused due to the genetic modifications is very limited. 3. The mere act of modification can trigger imperceptible, unforeseen, unrecognized and possibly detrimental changes.

Imprecise Insertion = Imprecise Changes

SuperWeed

Lets see what

this

does.

What if I create a monster?.

Up to now, living organisms have evolved very slowly and new forms have had plenty of time to settle in. Now whole proteins will be transposed overnight into whole new associations with consequences no one can foretell either for the host organism of the neighbours. This direction may be unwise and potentially dangerous. Potentially it could breed new animal and plant diseases, new sources of cancer, novel epidemics - Dr George Wald, Nobel Laureate in Medicine 1967, Higgins Professor of Biology, Harvard University.

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Why is Genetic Engineering Risky?

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What are GMOs?

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Combining unrelated organisms together forcefully seems Very unnatural and unethical!

Genes of one organisms are cut, spliced and forced into genes of another related or unrelated organism in a laboratory to create an unnatural and new organism or crop called Genetically Modified Organism.

What’s the need for such a dangerous, irreversible and irrevocable technology?

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What are GMOs?

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Most GMOs have Pesticide or herbicide tolerant genes inserted in

laboratories. Pesticides, herbicides and GMOs are similarly dangerous and

hazardous. Safer, ecological and affordable systems of pesticide and

weeds management like NPM and multi cropping are available.

.

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GM food is created by inserting genes from organisms like Bacteria, Scorpions Spiders etc. into a food crop, to make it poisonous to a specific pest for example.

Imprecise techniques such as Gene Gun, Bacterial & Viral Carriers are employed to infect /modify the genetic make-up of the target crop.

GM Technology is Negative!

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I can scrub & wash the vegetables to remove some of the residue of the pesticides BUT how do I scrub the pesticide

in the Genes?

Earlier They said, “Pesticides are safe”.Now They are saying

“GMOs are safe”. How can I trust them?

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If the pest eating GM Crop dies on eating it once, what would happen to me if I eat it regularly?

GM Technology is Negative!

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Process of creating GMOs is Risky

1.Experimental conditions are controlled where as environment cant becontrolled.“ The experiment cannot tell what the role and behavior of donor DNA will be once it's in the host cell may be very different from the experimental environment” (Steinbrecher).

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Gene Insertion triggers unknown cellular and

acellular activities

2.The insertion of a foreign gene might trigger new cellular activities or interrupt current ones. For example, The immune system serves to prevent invasion by harmful foreign genes, viruses, and other substances, so that particular species is able to maintain its characteristic traits and normal metabolism (Rubenstein). “Genetic engineering, may, in turn, disrupt and weaken the immune systems by introducing foreign substances into organisms that they won't be able to fight. No one really knows the overall effect of this “(Levine).3.Foreign genes trigger new cellular activities in the form of resistance etc.The vectors used in the genetic engineering process are often resistant to many drugs such as antibiotics. Injecting a drug-resisting vector into a new organism will result in a drug-resistant host organism. The resistance may not necessarily be only to drugs, as is the case with frost-resistant plants. Since genetic engineering is irreversible, this method allows these altered organisms to become widespread in nature (Steinbrecher).

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GM Crops destroy the bio-diversity

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Bio-diversity Destroyed

Creating such organisms disturbs the evolutionary process of natural selection, or survival of the fittest. Putting such a desirable gene into an organism may give them an edge over another. This whole idea of meddling with nature raises a question of religion and ethics (Rubenstein)

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Lies about the Safety Tests Done by Bio-tech companies * Only insufficient short term feeding tests conducted on mice. * Can one trust the safety tests and claims of the company developing the GMOs and selling the patented seeds at huge profits? Especially when companies like Monsanto have a long history of unethical practices. * The changes in GMOs on storage, refrigeration, cooking etc. have not been studied sufficiently.)

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GM Crops are Safe – A Lie!

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The above image lists some of the hitherto unheard of diseases. Its interesting that they all

coincide with the introduction of GM Crops into the international food systems

Numerous independent studies and scientific reports have shown that GMOs are extremely unsafe.

VISIT Http://indiagminfo.org/?attachment_id=557 for a compilation of these reports)

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GM Crops are Safe – A Lie!

Long term studies of impacts on human health, environment and other

organisms not conducted by the developers.

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Monsanto’s patented Chemical Glyphosate is sprayed copiously on the fields of Monsanto’s Herbicide Tolerant GM Crops (also called RR or Round Up Ready), thus poisoning the whole plant and its surroundings. Most of world’s Soya & Corn is

becoming RR rapidly .

GM Crops Use Less Pesticides – A Lie

Weeds & Pests have multiplied The large-scale use of GM crops and herbicide Glyphosate has resulted in massive natural selection pressures that has lead to unmanageable Super-Weeds and Super-Pests.

Horseweed-one of over 20 weeds now resistant to the main herbicides used with GM crops, has become a

nightmare for American farmers.

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In America: Pesticide Glyphosate usage has increased from 5 million to more than 50 million pounds per year in Herbicide

Tolerant GM crops

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GMOs and Diseases

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GM Food is very risky. - Study by

French Scientist

GM Crops linked toDiabetes, Alzheimer's, Cohn’s Disease,

Autism etc.

Similar to the US, India is fast becoming a country of allergies and diseases with the introduction of GM Crops and imports of processed foods containing GM Crops 15

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Evidence: GM Crops are dangerous to lab animalsDr. Oraby, Egyptian scientists a diet containing GM soy and

maize fed to rats for 30, 60 and 90 days caused a wide range of toxic effects, including DNA damage, abnormal sperm, blood changes, and damage to liver, kidney and testes.

European Scientist, Dr. Kruger’s experiment on pregnant piglet ( fed Glyphosate range 0.25 -1.13 ppm) showed various abnormalities, including ear & leg atrophy, spinal and cranial deformations & hole in the skull. One piglet had only a single large eye . Piglets without a trunk, with an “elephant tongue”, and a female piglet with testes etc. were seen.

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Evidence: GM Crops damage human health

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In 2002, two years after the first big harvests of RR soy (GM) in Argentina, serious health effects including high rates of birth defects as well as infertility, stillbirths,

miscarriages, and cancers reported Source: Fr. Peter’s Environmental NotesGM Food is Not Served in Monsanto Factory

Cafeteria, because even Monsanto’s workers refuse to eat it ! 17

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Most Processed Foods use Round up Ready Soya and Corn or their derivatives. Herbicide Glyphosate required for RR crops has been linked with dangerous health and environmental hazards.

Visitr http://www.shiftfrequency.com/comprehensive-list-of-gmo-products/

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Most imported oils, chips, cookies, cake mixes, drinks, chocolates, Soya Milk etc. contain GMOs, yet the Indian

government allows these to be sold. You are paying premium price to buy these hazardous, unlabeled imports .

Ask Your Local Grocer/Super Market To Stop Selling These. Ask GOI To BAN Them

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GM Food is very risky. - Study by

French Scientist

“GE is good for humanity” – A Lie

All Scientific Research is not Altruistic and humanitarian; nor is much of the medical/pharmaceutical business. Bio-tech industry is owned by powerful men seeking profits from their investments in research labs.

Scientists against GM technology are known to loose jobs or not receiving their funding/fellowships and promotions.

Fortis doctors recommending carcinogenic GM Canola Oil in advertisements and collecting donations for cancer research is an example of unethical practices by such mercenary organisations.

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GM Crops created by the Bio-tech industry are the number one cause behind deteriorating health of the people on this planet. The same industry then creates

patented medicines to manage the diseases they have caused, perpetuated and even created in its

laboratories.

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GM Grains, GM Fruits, GM Vegetables, GM Fish And Now GM Mosquitoes. Where will this Stop?

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GM Animals are here too.

Could Not Make Me Sterile..HE HE

Is it that universities are churning out too many bio-technologists? These poor sods are creating new Creatures in labs because that’s all They are trained to do for a living? If only universities taught Pro-Nature Courses instead!

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“ Oh human!Every creature has a role in the ecosystemIncluding the pests”

If you kill unnaturally, you will destroy my creation and nature’s delicate balance”

Its impossible to stop GMOs from reacting Interacting and reproducing with existing life-forms

Don’t forget once out in the environment;Its impossible to withdraw the organism.

Dear Wind, Water, Birds and Bees,

Please don’t enter my field and contaminate my crop with Monsanto’s Genetically Engineered Varieties. Yours Faithfully, Poor Farmer

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We too are poisoned

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- Your Food, Air, Water & Soil become More Toxic- Susceptibility to Common as well as Dangerous Diseases Multiplies.- Destruction of the Delicate Balance of Nature - Deadly Impact on friendly Organisms like Bees - Livestock diseases increase

Why GM Crops must be Banned

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Why GM Crops must be Banned

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Why switch to Organic Farming?

• Demand for organic food

is growing .• Premium pricing for

Organic produce can

result in higher income.

• Many countries are rejecting GM Crops and

offer opportunities for

exports.

• Sustains the health of soils, ecosystems, live-stock, farmers and consumers.

• Organic farming is ethical, natural and low-risk• Relies on ecological processes, biodiversity and

cycles adapted to local conditions, rather than the use of chemical inputs , standardized laboratory seeds.

• Combines traditional know-how, innovative techniques and natural science

• Promotes a good quality of life for all involved.  

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- 65% of India’s farmers have no assured irrigation-GM Seeds cost 5 to 10 times more - Seeds have to be repurchased each year.-GM Crops use more chemical fertilizers.-GM Crops handle extreme climate very poorly.

“Ecological Farming done by small farmers using a combination of traditional and safe scientific practices like SRI (not genetic engineering) is best for removing

hunger, poverty and inequity”- 2008 study by International Assessment of Agricultural Science &

Technology for Development, by over 400 scientists for World Bank & FAO.

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GM Crops are high risk and expensive

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Famines and Corporation control of Food

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Organic and GM Crops Cannot Co-exist.

Why Field Trials of GM Crops Must be Banned?

Physical barriers

and buffer zones

cannot confine Field Trials.

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•Yield is dependent on multiple factors like soil fertility, seed quality, weather conditions , water etc.

•One single tweaked gene can not cause a plant to produce more.

•The Union of Concerned Scientists, USA studied 13 years of GM yields and found that the GM crop yields were same or less than NON GM.

•Crop protection is a complex process which requires an understanding of the interactions between the environment, methods of farming and the predominant system of cultivation..

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In 2013, NON GM Farmer, Sumant Kumar of Bihar used SRI techniques and broke the world record by producing 22.4 tons of Rice on 1 hectare of land.

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Total World Population = 7 BillonTotal World Produce = Enough for 12 Billion

Total Hungry Population= 1 Billion WHAT’S AMISS?

GREED FOR MONEY AND POWER !

Wh should we be poisoning the world on pretext of feeding them? This is genocide. Ending hunger will take political will and determination, not GM crops. Agriculture to feed the world must be universally accessible, low-input, safe, in sync with nature and fully sustainable- organic farming is the answer

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India has enough food reserves to feed the entire population.

Instead of investing on Storage & Distribution systems, Risky GM food is being forced upon us. WHY?

Rotting Food Grains in India

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Why is Chemical Farming subsidized? Why does Organic Farming get negligible

support? Why must we be forced to eat poisoned food ? ONLY THE RICH HAVE THE RIGHT TO SAFE

FOOD?

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About 3 million Indian farmers have committed suicide in last 20 years and the

numbers are going up.

IncreasingDebts

ExpensiveSeeds

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Increased Costs

ReducingYields

More Water

Poorer Soil

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Bt Cotton in India

Bt cotton requires 15% more fertilizers , draws more nutrients and water from soil thus depleting it. The crop is exhibiting nutrient deficiency especially in rain-fed zones where wilt and leaf-reddening problems are also getting more severe over the years.- Agricultural Almanac, ANGRAU 2009 .

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Cost of cultivation is lower for Organic Cotton

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Insecticide usage doubled since 2002 in 9 years.

Bt Cotton in India

Bt cotton requires 15% more fertilizers , draws more nutrients and water from soil thus depleting it. The crop is exhibiting nutrient deficiency especially in rain-fed zones where wilt and leaf-reddening problems are also getting more severe over the years.- Agricultural Almanac, ANGRAU 2009 .

Bollworm decreased but other pests

increased

Farmer suicides higher in BT Cotton cultivated areas

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Golden Rice – Is It Really Golden?

What Causes Vitamin A Deficiency

Vitamin A deficiency can result from inadequate intake, fat mal-absorption, or liver disorders.

Secondary vitamin A deficiency may be due to decreased bioavailability of Provitamin A carotenoids, interference with absorption, storage, or transport of Vitamin A, Interference with absorption or storage is likely in celiac disease, cystic fibrosis, pancreatic insufficiency, duodenal bypass, chronic diarrhea, bile duct obstruction, giardiasis, and cirrhosis. - According to Merck Manuals, Medical Text Book

IT IS INTERESTING TO NOTE THAT MANY OF THE ABOVE CONDITIONS HAVE BEEN LINKED TO CONSUMPTION OF GM FOOD.

HOW CAN EATING MORE GM FOOD BE THE SOLUTION?

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Golden Rice – Is It Really Golden?

What the Promoters are not telling you.Nature has abundant natural sources of Vitamin A. A

diverse and balanced died is the sane solution. Why do we need a laboratory created potentially

hazardous Rice?

One will have to eat 150 grams Rice regularly (and little else) for about 60% Vitamin A requirements.

What will the Genetically Modified Rice do to the body’s ability to absorb other nutrients?

No long term safety tests have been conducted$100 Million has been spent on developing this Rice.

Could this money have been spent of safer food?The Bill & Melinda Gates foundation has contributed an

additional $10.3 million to promote it.

In 2012, Feeding Trials on humans were conducted secretly and slyly by U.S.

research team onChinese school children without the consent of the teachers or the

parents of the children. The media later exposed the secret trials.

The tests recommend at least 150 grams of GE Rice to be fed to 6-8 year olds,

every Day for meeting approximately 60% Vitamin A requirement.

Golden Rice is being actively promoted in India, Indonesia and China – Big Markets!

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I have been lobbying for GE Food since 1985. I have fudged facts to portray that I was a founder member of Greenpeace. I have sold my past Greenpeace affiliation to some of the most

predatory companies in the last 25 years & ignored to mention my current business interests.

When Greenpeace wanted to disassociate with Greenpeace Foundation, I sued them. Later, I left Greenpeace to set up a

Salmon-Farm. I am the President of Aquabounty Technologies, the Pioneers in Genetically Engineered Salmon. Now I am promoting G.E. Golden Rice as the panacea for Vitamin

A deficiency. What, cheaper and safer sources of Vitamin A are available in

nature? Oh, you got me there!

GE Salmon is about double the size and

almost triple the weight of normal

Salmon. That’s not normal but you get more to eat. Nah! Nothing abnormal will happen to you.

You are not Salmon.

I am Patrick Moore - In 1977, Co-Founder Bob Hunter stepped down and I became president Greenpeace Foundation, Canada. The Same year

Candle, the first B. Rape Canola variety was released. ;)

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Monsanto started BT Cotton cultivation in India illegally in 1998 and contaminated local farms.

In 2003 got a patent granted in Europe developed from an Indian wheat variety for using the wheat and also making roti from it. A legal battle with Greenpeace caused patent to be revoked.

2011- Caught violating all bio-safety norms in Karnataka GM Maize plot in Bijapur district.

Caught in illegal planting of GM Corn in UAS Dharwad in Feb 2012.

Monsanto asked to withdraw its unsubstantiated advertisements and paid news-stories in the year 2012 that appeared in Times of India.

Its Indian partner, Mahyco was sued for appropriating 16 local varieties of Brinjal without requisite permissions to develop genetically modified Brinjal.

Monsanto has filed 145 lawsuits since 1997, against farmers who have “improperly reused their patented seeds.

Bio-tech GIANTS Like Monsanto, Syngenta, Du-pont, DOW and Bayer

Monsanto Has Been Votes As The World’s Most Evil Corporation 39

Who is behind GMOs?

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•MMB or Monsanto Mahyco India controls 35% of the 5000 Crore Indian Seed market.

•Monsanto owns 92% of Indian Cotton Seed Market. From zero to 92% in 15 years!

•Monsanto owns 38% of Hybrid Maize Seeds in India.

•Monsanto has PPPs with several Indian state governments, worth more than 200 Crores.

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MONSANTO

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Bribe, Force, Cajole

Sue the FarmersApprovals –

By hook or

crook

Fake

Data

Field Trials

without

permissions

Steal Germplasm

GMOHerbicide

Agent Orange

PCB

Monsanto owns 23% of the world’s proprietary seed business market.World's largest supplier of vegetable seeds, selling $800m of seed – In 2012.Uses patents, IPR regimes , unfair and unethical practices Chased farmers of South American at processing factories and even import points in Europe!Lawsuits in USA, Argentina, Brazil, China and India.

Monsanto’s Objective: “By 2020, no food shall be grown that we

do not own”.

No Labels

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Monsanto holds 88% of GM patents.

Other Bio-tech Companies Promoting GM Seeds : Dupont, Bayer, Syngenta

Terminator Technology ensures that farmers

have to buy expensive seeds every season.

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GM Industry - Stooping Lower

1. Targeting Farmers and Suing them2. Stealing Natural Resources and Patenting them for Gains. 3. Spending Billions on PR and Marketing4. Targeting Scientists and Reports against GMOs5. Singling out Activists and NGOs like Greenpeace, Gene Campaign and ASHA. 6. Employing Political Lobbying and Corrupt means to promote GMOs .7. Promoting Dangerous Crops under lies of Drought Resistance, Crop Fortification, Soil Management etc.

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Food as Weapons of Power

“IF THEY CONTROL SEED, THEY CONTROL FOOD. THEY KNOW IT, IT’S STRATEGIC. IT’S MORE POWERFUL THAN BOMBS. ITS MORE POWERFUL THAN GUNS, THIS IS THE BEST WAY TO CONTROL THE POPULATIONS OF THE WORLD.”

Targeting the most populated

countries of the World

China India Indonesia

Big Market = Big Profit

Bio WeaponsGMO Crops

Ethanol CropsMan Made Diseases

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Owns 500000 Monsanto Shares =$23Million

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GMO, Pharma and Processed food industries are

Central to the reviving American economy.

American government is arm twisting countries like India to promote interests

of the bio-tech industry.

Politics of Power and Greed

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Is the BJP government in favour of GM

Crops? Field Trials Approved. Commercialization to follow, Mr. Prakash Javadekar?

Who is Promoting GM Crops in India?

DESPITE THE PUBLIC OPPOSITION TO GM CROPS AND THE AVAILABILITY OF SAFER AND BETTER SYSTEMS OF FARMING; WILL THE BJP DECIDE IN FAVOUR OF THE BIO-TECH INDUSTRY

OR WILL IT TAKE A PRO-PEOPLE AND PRO ENVIRONMENT STANCE?

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Opposition to GMOS

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Indians join the global opposition of gm crops.

Farmers and Consumers all over the world are rejecting GM .

Demand for non-GM seed in USA has increased by 80% in 2013.

American consumers are demanding labelling laws and safer food choices.

Consumer opposition to GMOs is on the rise in India too.

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There are some who will look the other way, there are some

who are comfortable in denial. But YOU are the chosen one.

Educate every one you meet about the dangers, your Sabzi -waalah, your grocer, super market management,

the shop assistant , the restaurant you eat at, your colleagues and your neighbours .

Write to your local RWA, your MLA, concerned Ministers and even the Prime Minister.

Question them about their inaction.Take the baton forward!

But, what can I do?

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Find us on the Web at the following links www.indiaforsafefood.in

www.kisanswaraj.inwww.indiagminfo.org

India for Safe Food www.facebook.com/India4safefood

Public Awareness on GM Foodwww.facebook.com/groups/NoGMOs

Our Food, Health, Seeds, Farmer Livelihood And Country are Under

GMO Attack

Consumer Demand for Safe Food is Important to Galvanize

Government Action and Pro-Organic Policies

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