IT IS ALL ABOUT FOOD, FARMERS, FREEDOM. FOR OUR HEALTH, ENVIRONMENT & CHILDREN
KINDLY FORWARD IT TO YOUR CONTACTS IN & AROUND MUMBAI..... THANKS ___________________________________________________________________________ ALLIANCE FOR SUSTAINABLE & HOLISTIC AGRICULTURE (ASHA) ‘KISAN SWARAJ YATRA’ WILL BE IN MUMBAI ON SUNDAY 17TH OCT 2010 The Kisan Swaraj Yatra arrives in Mumbai on Sunday 17th October, on the 12th day of its 71 day journey across 20 States of India, starting from Sabarmati Ashram on 2nd October and ending at Rajghat in Delhi on 11th Dec 2010. It addresses food, farming and policies regarding these. Food is fundamental to life. Today, the food that we eat and the farmers who grow our food are both in crisis. The farmers are caught in the trap of high-cost chemical farming which is destroying their soils and pushing them into debt. Govt policies are promoting corporate interests at the expense of farmers. The 200,000 farmer suicides in the past 15 years are a reflection of the failure of existing agricultural policy and a challenge to our collective conscience. We are all consumers of food, and the food that we and our children eat is ridden with pesticides and chemicals. Our staple diets are depleted of nutrients. The more "advanced" our agriculture, the more polluted our water and our food. Now the proposed introduction of GM and Bt genes into 55 food crops will introduce toxins into plants in unprecedented and irreversible ways. The Kisan Swaraj Yatra is an initiative to strike out a new path in agriculture, which provides a dignified livelihood to our farmers, and keeps our food and water healthy. Through cities, towns and villages, lakhs of farmers, agricultural workers, and consumers seek to bring these issues to the government. The Yatra demonstrates that a new approach to agriculture is possible, and essential, if farmers are to continue to grow food for India’s expanding population, instead of leaving the land in despair and migrating to urban slums. Over 50 organisations in Maharashtra, supporting the Yatra, advocate a form of agriculture that Govt must adopt for the benefit all: farmers, consumers and the environment. On 17th October, citizens of Mumbai can interact and support the Yatris on their journey through India . Leading personalities who will extend their support include Shri Rakeysh Om Prakash Mehra, Shri Mahesh Bhatt and Shri Atul Kulkarni – and many other distinguished citizens. We seek your help in giving wide publicity to the event. Details of the function are given overleaf. Mumbai Organising Committee – ALLIANCE FOR SUSTAINABLE & HOLISTIC AGRICULTURE (ASHA) Contact Persons Tejal V : 9833707598 Pervin Jehangir: 9820636335 KISAN SWARAJ YATRA BUS YATRIS WILL BE IN MUMBAI ON SUNDAY 17TH OCT 2010 ___________________________________________________________________________________________________ PROGRAMME 10.30 am to 12.30 pm Yatris are Available to Media (TV Channels & Press) for interviews at Jagdish Ajmera Sabhagraha , Grant Road Railway Station, West, next to Platform No 1. 12.30 pm to 1.30 pm……. Lunch for Yatris, Media and Volunteers at Jagdish Ajmera Sabhagraha. 2.00 pm to 2.30 pm ……..Film show at Mani Bhavan, Gamdevi for the public. 2.30 pm to 3.00 pm …….. Public function at Mani Bhavan to pay homage to Mahatma Gandhi, whose vision of Hind Swaraj is very relevant today. Leading Mumbaikars and public to extend support to Yatra. 3.30 pm to 4.00 pm ……… Yatris and Mumbaikers will walk to Jagdish Ajmera Sabhagraha 4.00 pm to 5.30 pm ……… Public function at Jagdish Ajmera Sabhagraha. Speeches by Yatra organizers, Farmers, Consumer Activists, Environmentalists. 5.30 to 6.30 pm ………. Film Show at Jagdish Ajmera Sabhagraha Since Yatris have come from all over India, proceedings will be in Hindi, Marathi and English. __________________________________________________________________________________ For more information on Kisan Swaraj Yatra please check www.kisanswaraj.in NGOs are requested to particpate with their banners (size not to exceed more than 2'x4') with relavant text message and organisation name below. This will be then taken by yatris to Rajghat, Delhi and displayed there to show solidarity for food, farmers & freedom.
