Action alert : Jan 30th Signup for the fast and candle light

 

Hello guys,

 

As you all know we have created a website brinjal.org to facilitate the nation wide protest over bt-brinjal on January 30th organized by over 50 groups across country.

 

I request all the AID NCR volunteers to sign up for the same - http://brinjal.org - with their messages.

 

Those who aren't aware of the issue with Genetically Modified foods, can browse through various sections of the website (e.g., why save brinjal, resources, etc) to make more informed choices.

 

The fast can either be half day or full day depending on one's choice. Jan30th being a weekend, we urge all the volunteers to participate in the padyatra that Selva and Arun are organizing in Delhi.

Sign up for - Jan 30 -- National Day of Fast for GM-Free India

 

Kindly spread the word and do sign up for the fast as well as local actions.

Sign up for fast or to light a candle     | Why Save Brinjal  | Why the National Day of Fast?

 

Dear Friends, 

 

The Indian government is considering approving genetic modification of our fruits and vegetables starting with Brinjal.  While  a rigged up "Expert" Committee has recommended clearance to genetically modified Bt Brinjal, due to concerns raised by independent scientists and farmer groups, Minister Jairam Ramesh has requested public feedback before making a decision in February.  Let us make our voices heard and democracy work!  We can still save our Brinjal! 

 

On January 30, the day that took Mahatma Gandhi from us, a day that also happens to be the last day of the offical national consultation hearing on BT Brinjal, we are planning to gather in different locations across India in prayer and fasting to stop Bt Brinjal.  The call for a National Day of Fast is being given by several individuals, groups and people's movements including members of the Coalition for GM-Free India and National Alliance for People's Movements.

 

We request everyone both individually and from various groups and coalitions to sign up to participate on the day by either fasting or lighting a candle... either at your homes, or in groups at locations across India. The information from all sources will be constantly updated at the easy to remember URL  brinjal.org

 

Here is what you can do:

 

-- Sign up for fasting or lighting a candle on Jan 30: please click here.   

 

-- Organize a fast gathering on Jan 30:  Please send an email to aidsite@gmail.com to get your location listed.  See venues.

 

-- For action leading up to Jan 30, please attend the national consultations and also write to the Minister your views even if you are not able to attend personally. 

 

Sign up for fast or to light a candle     | Why Save Brinjal  | Why the National Day of Fast?

 

Sign up note --

 

To:

 

Shri Jairam Ramesh,

Minister of State (I/C) for Environment & Forests,

Government of India.

 

 

I would like to convey to you that on Martyrs’ Day January 30 2010, I intend to fast or light a candle to ensure that Indian farming and food systems are free of Genetically Modified food items and to stop the Indian Government from giving any approval to Bt Brinjal. I believe Bt Brinjal would damage our health and adversely impact the environment owing to combining the poisonous Bt genetic material with vegetables. More so, it will open the floodgates to such technologies which will enslave Indian farming and threaten our food sovereignty.

 

Genetic engineering technology is not going to solve the issue of hunger. The answer lies in education, livelihoods, human rights and sustainable agriculture, development and appropriate technology. Bt Brinjal is a costly experiment to try on the Indian soil and the burden of its failure will have to be borne by common people, if approved. A few corporates and seed companies profit by this and the government should not succumb to the vested interests that are threatening the independence of the farmer and our rich traditional seed and and crop varieties that have sustained us for generations.

 

On January 30th, while remembering the Mahatma and his hard-fought battle of Swarajya through Satyagraha, I choose to uphold the national food sovereignty from needless, hazardous and enslaving technologies like GM seeds and in particular, Bt Brinjal. I have decided to join the hands of millions across the country to remember the Mahatma, who taught us the most equitable, just and sustainable way towards self-reliance.

 

Click to Sign

 

 

-- The brinjal.org site is created and maintained by AID volunteers in consultation with activists from GM-Free India coalition.

REQUEST FOR DONATION OF OLD ITEMS

 

Dear All ,

Trust you all are having good time as the fog in NCR is geeting crazy

 and the warmth of quilt is getting more and more addicting  :)  

 

As you all know we have four centres running in Gurgaon, we are in pressing need of some articles as listed below .

those volunteers who have any spare articles please let me know so that we can make the further arrangements .

 

Project Request	Item required	Number’s  required	PURPOSE
UNNATI DISHA PRERNA SHIKSHARTH	ALMIRAH	04	TO STORE THE STATIONARY AND NUTRITION MATERIAL   GAMES ,DRESS MATERIALS  ETC.
PRERNA- SHIKSHARTH	TRUNK	02 – 04	SHALL BE THE ALTERNATIVES TO THE ALMIRAHS
DISHA- PRERNA – SHIKSHARTH	OLD CARPETS/DURRies	Not fixed –any number	NEEDED FOR THE KIDS IN SCHOOLS
UNNATI- DISHA	OLD SEWING MACHINES	AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE :-)	FOR THE VOCATIONAL CENTRE RUNNING AT UNNATI AND FOR THE CENTRE PLANNED AT DISHA.

 

if you wish have spare/old articles available for donation

please mail me at munishdvd@gmail.com

mob : +91 9999 623 000

 

or if you wish to donate through cash/cheque/online transfer

please reach Puneet Sharma at p.sharma83@gmail.com

mob: + 91 9811621209

 

ALSO PLEASE TRY TO CIRCULATE AMONG YOUR COMPANIES ,

WHERE PEOPLE ARE MOVING OUT CITY AND WOULD LIKE TO SELL/DONATE  SOME ARTICLES

________________________________________

 

HAVE YOU GOT YOU COPY OF "SAPNEY " CALENDERS ??

if NO - Anshul is just a call away @ 9873469546

__________________________________________

 

Jyoti Basu passes away

Kolkata, Jan 17 (ANI): Veteran Marxist leader and former West Bengal Chief Minister Jyoti Basu died at the AMRI Hospital of multiple-organ failure at 11.47 a.m. on Sunday. He was 95.

"Jyoti Basu is no more," said party state secretary Biman Bose.

Basu was admitted to the hospital on January 1 with acute respiratory failure bordering on pneumonia. He was also undergoing treatment at the hospital for age-related ailments.

Born on July 8, 1914, Jyoti Kiran Basu's name was shortened by his father to Jyoti.

In 1996, Basu seemed all set to become the first Communist Prime Minister of India. However, the CPI (M) Politburo decided not to participate in the government, a decision that Basu later termed as a historic blunder.

Basu was elected to the Bengal Legislative Assembly in 1946, contesting the Railway constituency. He served as Leader of Opposition for a long time when Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy was the Chief Minister of West Bengal.

Basu's admirable eloquence both as an M.L.A and the Leader of Opposition drew the attention of Dr. B. C. Roy, who had a strong affection for this young leader though his stand was completely against the policies of the then State Government.

He led several agitations against the State Government and earned an enviable reputation as a politician, particularly among students and youth.

Beside organising the movements of railway labourers, he led a historical movement of teachers who were protesting against their meagre salary.

Between 1967 and 1969, Basu was the Deputy Chief Minister of West Bengal in the United Front governments. He worked under Chief Minister Ajay Mukhopadhay.

When the Congress returned to power in West Bengal in 1972 under Siddhartha Shankar Ray, Basu faced defeat in the Baranagar Assembly Constituency and complained about unprecedented rigging. His Party CPI (M), decided to boycott the Assembly till a fresh election was conducted in 1977.

From June 21, 1977 to November 6, 2000, Basu served as the Chief Minister of West Bengal of various Left Front governments. In 1996, Basu almost became of Prime Minister of India.

Basu resigned as Chief Minister of West Bengal in 2000 for health reasons, and was succeeded by fellow CPI (M) politician Buddhadeb Bhattacharya.

The 18th Congress of CPI (M), held in Delhi in 2005, re-elected Basu to its Politburo, although he had asked to be allowed to retire from it. On September 13, 2006, Basu entreated the CPI (M) to allow his retirement due to his age, but the resign was turned down.

At the 19th Congress in early April 2008, Basu was not included in the Politburo, although he remained a member of the Central Committee and was designated as Special Invitee to the Politburo. (ANI)