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In honor of Monsanto's "Food Safety" bills: "Poison On The Platter"

By Devinder Sharma, Posted by Linn Cohen-Cole (about the submitter)

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For OpEdNews: Posted by Linn Cohen-Cole - Writer

Devinder Sharma is not only an award-winning journalist, writer, and researcher on food and trade policy, but an agricultural expert and an on the ground organizer of Indian farmers. He wrote "GATT and India -- Politics of Agriculture" (1994) and "In the Famine Trap" (1997) and chairs the New Delhi-based Forum for Biotechnology & Food Security.

As bogus "food safety" bills are being rammed through Congress by friends of Monsanto such as Rosa DeLauro, it seems the right time to look more carefully at Monsanto itself and what is has already done to "food safety' around the world.  Devinder Sharma's article on the reaction in India to Mahesh Bhatt's new film, "Poison on the Platter," gives us not only a view of Monsanto's genetic engineering, the corruption of the political and scientific process, the already apparent harm from GMOs, but strong public revulsion at it. 

Michael Taylor, the Monsanto lawyer whom Bill Clinton put in charge of the FOOD and Drug Administration and who subjected the whole populace to rBGH despite its link to increased risks of cancers (thus altering milk, cheese, ice cream, yogurt and an all processed foods using milk solids of any kind - food particularly given to children) showed up on Obama's transition team.  

Were he and Vilsack and Monsanto "not-food-safety-on-your-life" bills, the compromise Hillary Clinton and her campaign strategist, Mark Penn (CEO of a huge Monsanto's PR firm) demanded?   

In any case, let's honor this colossal corruption of our government and Hillary Clinton managing to pull the wool over American feminists' eyes in making them think she cares the least bit about women and children, and applaud "Poison On The Platter," the reality of Monsanto's GMOs.

[[Ground Reality]]

Say no to GM food, for it's poison: Bhatt

In the picture above, film maker Mahesh Bhatt talking about nature's bounty, before the screening of his documentary film "Poison on the platter" at Bangalore on Mar 7, 2009. Along with him is Sangita Sharma, director of the Annadana Soil and Seed Savers, which hosted the film launch at an impressive ceremony in Bangalore.

The film launch drew a wide cross-section of Bangalore's society. Among those who attended were MLAs, senior bureaucrats, former vice-chancellor of the agriculture university, agricultural officials, army officers, film stars, theatre personalities, senior editors, principals and teachers of city colleges and schools, general managers of hotel chains, NGOs and young students from colleages among other citizens.

As witnessed in the previous launches, the film opened to a packed house, and drew a loud round of applause. And it generated so much of concern that people clamoured for multiple copies of the DVD for screening at various places. The Times of India news report below captures the essence. Reports have appeard in several newspapers but I have access to only this newspaper. I am therefore reproducing the report below. A day after the launch, the film was screened at a farmers event in Tumkur (Karnataka).

Says Krishna Prasad, director of Sahaja Samrudha: "This film has come as an important advocacy tool. We will take the message to the masses."

The Bangalore event also marked the launch of a My Right To Safe Food campaign. Mahesh Bhatt formally launched the campaign by releasing the booklet on My Right to Safe Food. It simplifies the complex and scientific issue for the man on street, and also addresse some frequently asked questions.

Here is the TOI news report:

Say no to GM food, for it's poison: Bhatt

Bangalore: The long-drawn debate on commercialization of genetically modified food has intensified just as the government is set to hit the last nail in the coffin. Food policy analyst Devinder Sharma says genetically modified Bt Brinjal is likely to enter the market in May. Noted film-maker Mahesh Bhatt released his documentary 'Poison on the platter' and launched a My Right Safe Food campaign in the city on Saturday.

The film looks at the history of GM food and its health impact in different parts of the world. In 1989, over 10,000 persons were disabled after L Tryptophan, a genetically modified drug, was introduced in America. Most suffered memory loss, muscle weaknesses, leathery skin and other symptoms. Studies attribute around 100 deaths to the epidemic.

The movie also focuses on the impact on mice on which companies like Monsanto conducted tests. Most developed serious immunological problems and liver and kidney disorders. Ignorance about the technology is also highlighted in the form of vox pop interviews on the streets of various metros.

Bhatt said: "This conspiracy is not possible without the tacit support of the watchdogs. The government needs to have a mother's heart. It cannot feed unsafe food to citizens without their knowledge.''

Kannada film-maker Nagathahalli Chandrashekhar said Karnataka, which is rich in biodiversity and native varities of brinjal like Udupi Mattagulu, has a lot at stake. Director Ajay Kanchan said the technology is more dangerous than nuclear disasters and terror attacks.

Portraying the inconvenient truth, the movie features Sri Sri Ravi Shankar of the Art of Living foundation. It discusses consequences of introduction of GM food and the people's right to say no to it. Leading molecular biologist Pushpa Bhargava, who was appointed by the Supreme Court to advise the Genetic Engineering Approval Committee, talks in detail about loopholes in the approval process and faulty safety data submitted by MNCs.

Here is a  clip from the movie.   

-- Posted By Devinder Sharma to Ground Reality at 3/08/2009 02:44:00 PM

Below is some writing by Devinder Sharma that pertain to what we did to India and what is now happening to us.

Interview with Devinder Sharma
The politics of food and agriculture
Part 1 – From British Colonialism to WTO Rules and Privatization
Part 2 – From Secured-Cash Crops to Village Republics
New Delhi, India

Published in In Motion Magazine November 6, 2003

Hungry for Trade:
Statue of Liberty is Crying
by Devinder Sharma
New Delhi, India

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