New Delhi: Holding multinational companies (MNCs) responsible for the “present agrarian crisis” that has forced over three lakh farmers to commit suicide in the last two decades, environmentalists and activists on Monday sought a NHRC probe into the “epidemic”.

Vandana Shiva of Navdanya and Krishan Bir Chaudhary of the Bhartiya Krishak Samaj submitted a petition to the National Human Rights Commission, urging it to probe the epidemic of farmer suicides in India, and direct the government to stop violations of the human rights of farmers.

The complaint highlights various aspects of human rights violations by MNCs and how each of these actions has resulted in the present agrarian crisis. It is prepared in compliance with the standards set forth in the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993, as amended in 2006, and the NHRC (Procedure) Regulations, 1994, as amended in 1997.

“We have submitted lists of farmers who committed suicide since 1995, largely due to a debt trap created by dependence on high-cost seeds and chemicals,” said Shiva.

“With over 300,000 farmer suicides in India since 1995 and about 84 per cent of them in the Bt Cotton belt, there is ample proof that Bt Cotton is directly responsible for trapping farmers in debt and suicide cycle,” she said.

“Bt Cotton seeds are seeds of suicide. Wherever they are grown they have only brought death and debt to the farmers. If you look at Punjab or Vidarbha the number of suicides has increased, debt has risen and the rural economy has been ruined,” said Chaudhary.

The petitioners called on the NHRC to probe these issues as the violations of the human rights of farmers.

(IANS)

Kannur: The CPI-M condemned the brutal murder of one of its leaders in Kerala “by RSS hoodlums” on Monday and accused the RSS and its affiliates of launching murderous attacks on the Left.

The Communist Party of India-Marxist said a group of heavily armed RSS activists entered a toddy shop where K. Mohanan, 52, was working and hacked him to death.

Around 30-40 sharp wounds were inflicted on his body, a CPI-M statement said. This, it said, was the second murder of a CPI-M worker in Dharmadom constituency represented by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.

Earlier, RSS workers had attacked a CPI-M victory procession in the same constituency on the day of vote counting, leading to the death of CPI-M worker Ravindranath, it said.

The party urged police to speedily arrest the culprits responsible for the latest murder.

“This heinous murder took place even as a motley group of BJP workers marched to the CPI-M headquarters in Delhi, purportedly to protest (against) the attacks on RSS workers in Kerala,” the statement said.

“The fact is that in Kerala it is the CPI-M and other constituents of the

LDF that have been at the receiving end of the murderous attacks mounted

by the RSS and its outfits.

“In the short duration that the current LDF government has been in office,

as many as six CPI-M workers have been killed and around 300 of its members injured in brutal attacks launched by the RSS.

“Thirty-five offices of the party have been attacked and destroyed and 80 houses of party workers attacked and damaged,” the CPI-M said.

(IANS)

Panaji: Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar today said he would meet his Maharashtra and Karnataka counterparts on the issue of Mahadeyi river water diversion, notwithstanding reservations voiced by opposition parties in Goa.

“I will be attending the meeting with Chief Ministers from Maharashtra and Karnataka on Mahadeyi water diversion issue. It is not proper to refuse the tribunal’s (Mahadeyi Water Dispute Tribunal) suggestion that we (all three CMs) should meet and try to find an amicable solution,” Parsekar said.

He was speaking to reporters after chairing an all-party meet called by the state government on the issue at the Secretariat this afternoon.

The meet was attended by all parties, including BJP, MGP, Congress, NCP, Goa Forward and others, besides Union AYUSH Minister Sripad Naik, Member of Parliament (South) Narendra Sawaikar and representatives of Mahadeyi Bachao Abhiyan.

During the meeting, the opposition parties expressed apprehension over Parsekar attending the CMs’ meet.

“All the participants in the meeting were unanimous that we should not waste time in discussion with neighbouring states as it will affect the pace of the case,” Parsekar said.

“But it is not fair that I refuse to meet the chief ministers of the states of our own country,” he reasoned.

Goa is currently embroiled in a dispute with Maharashtra and Karnataka over diversion of Mahadeyi river water. The case is pending before Mahadeyi Water Dispute Tribunal.

“Whenever it is called for, I will attend the meeting to respect sentiments of the tribunal, but I will ensure that the interest of the state (Goa) will not be compromised at any cost,” the chief minister said.

Asked if Goa is looking for an amicable solution to the issue, Parsekar refused to comment.
“I have said what I want to say,” he said, before walking off.

Meanwhile, the state’s main opposition party Congress expressed unhappiness over the Chief Minister’s decision to meet his Maharashtra and Karnataka counterparts.

“Karnataka has shown scarce respect for law. They have gone ahead with the construction of canal to divert the Mahadeyi river water in their territory. To hold meeting with their (Karnataka) chief minister when the case is pending before the tribunal will be of no use,” Goa Pradesh Congress Committee president Luizinho Faleiro told reporters after emerging from the all party meeting.

Faleiro said Mahadeyi river is not just connected to Maharashtra and Karnataka but the biodiversity, environment and flora and fauna of Goa is dependent on it.

“For us, it (diversion of water) is a question of survival. Mahadeyi is the lifeline of Goa. We are pushed to the wall by Karnataka. Besides the tribunal, Goa should take up the matter with the United Nations, National Green Tribunal and Supreme Court,” said the former chief minister of Goa.

He said there are no powers with the chief ministers of any state to do anything on the issue.

“We requested him not to go, but even if he is going, he should ensure that the interest of the state is protected. Everybody felt that CM should not go,” Faleiro said.

“We (participating parties) said, if you (CM) are going then ask them (Karnataka) to demolish the dams which they have constructed illegally, ask them (Karnataka) to stop diverting water,” he said.

Faleiro said half of the Mahadeyi river, known as Mandovi in Goa, has saline water, but if dams are constructed upstream, the entire stretch in the state would become saline.

(PTI)

Allahabad: A VHP activist, along with his business associate, was thrashed and handed over to the police for allegedly donning a burqa and sneaking into a gathering of women at a place of worship, a charge denied by the brother of the accused who claimed that it was a fabricated case.

The incident took place at Umarpur village in Mauaima police station area of the district’s trans-Ganga region, about 40 kms from the city, yesterday.

Abhishek Yadav and his business partner Atif had visited an Imambara where a function in the run up to Moharram was being held, police station in-charge Satinder Singh said.

He said Yadav, whose wife is a member of the Zila Panchayat, had reached the venue allegedly wearing a burqa which enabled him to sit close to the women.

An outcry ensued when some people caught a glimpse of his jeans and sports shoes underneath the burqa, following which the men present at the Imambara ripped off his burqa and beat him up besides thrashing Atif who had tried to intervene.

According to Singh, Yadav, who was an active member of the VHP, has been booked in the past for rioting and creating communal disturbances. A case was registered against him yesterday and IPC sections for similar offences yesterday.

Meanwhile, a cross-complaint has been lodged by Yadav’s brother Veersen who has alleged that “Abhishek and Atif were waylaid close to the Imambara by a group of marauders who brutally assaulted the duo and snatched away their valuables before dragging them to the police station and fabricating a story”.

“Those who attacked Abhishek nursed a grouse against him because of his association with the VHP and a thriving business of ready made garments and sports goods,” he said.

“They made him wear a burqa after beating him up, clicked his photographs and posted the same on social media to create the false impression that he was trying to create communal disturbances at a place of worship,” Yadav’s brother alleged.

Police is investigating allegations made by both sides. Yadav and Atif have been admitted to a hospital for treatment, and adequate deployment of forces have been made in the village as a precautionary measure, the police station in charge said.

(PTI)