This press release notes that the Andhra Pradesh government has taken robust action against Bt-cotton companies like Monsanto, including seeking compensation for farmers, due to the poor quality of the companies' products and their fraudulent claims. But the Maharashtra government instead of seeking compensation from Monsanto has paid out compensation itself in order to try and protect Monsanto.

Why is this, when there have been so many suicides and so much destitution among Bt cotton farmers in Maharashtra?

According to the press release, it's to give cover to India's agriculture minister, Sharad Pawar, who personally promoted Bt cotton in Maharashtra, where he was formerly chief minister and where he has his power base.

The press release also notes that one brand of Bt seeds that have been on sale - titled "Ajit Bt" - is actually owned by Pawar's nephew, Ajit Pawar.
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VJAS HAILS MRTPC'S VERDICT ON MONSANTO-BT COTTON CASE: DEMANDS MAHARASHTRA GOVT. TO FILE THE PIL FOR CLAIMS AND COMPENSATIONS
VIDARBHA JAN ANDOLAN SAMITI
PRESS-NOTE DATED- 14TH MAY, 2006
NAGPUR, MAY 14, 2006 :

VIDARBHA JANADOLAN SAMITI LOCAL PRESSURE GROUP OF COTTON GROWING FARMERS WHO HAS ALREADY FILED PIL IN MUMBAI HIGH COURT AND MAHARASHTRA HUMAN RIGHT COMMISSION AGAINST US GENETICALLY MODIFIED(GM) BT-COTTON COTTON SEED MONOPOLY PRODUCER AMERICAN COMPANY MONSANTO HAS WELCOMED THE VERDICT OF MONOPOLY AND RESTRICTIVE TRADE PRACTICES (MRTP) COMMISSION INDICATING THE MONSANTO BT-COTTON SEED COMPANIES FOR COLLECTING HEAVY CHARGES OF ROYALTY FROM ANDHRA FARMERS. MRTPC ON OTHER DAY HELD THAT THE SEED COMPANY MONSANTO MAHYCO BIOTECH LTD. HAS ADOPTING UNFAIR TRADE PRACTICES IN THE COUNTRY AND IMPOSING UNREASONABLE ROYALTY OF RS.900 TO RS.1100 ON 450 GM OF POCKET OF BT COTTON SEED. MRTPC ASKED MONSANTO TO CHARGE ROYALTY AS THEY CHARGING IN USA AND CHAIN WHICH ONLY 10% ON THIS AMOUNT. THIS CASE IS RELATED KARRIF SEASON 2004. IN 2005 KHARRIF SEASON ANDHRA GOVT. HAS BANNED LOT OF BT-COTTON COMPANIES DUE ITS POOR QUALITY AND FRAUDULENT CLAIMS, KISHOR TIWARI OF VIDARBHA JANANDOLAN SMAITI INFORMED TODAY.

IN MAHARASHTRA FOR KHARRIF SEASON 2005 IN THE MONTH MAY-JUNE LAST YEAR , MAHARASHTRA GOVT. PERMITTED LOT COMPANIES BANNED BY ANDHRA GOVT. TO SELL BT-COTTON SEED MORE OVER MAHARASHTRA GOVT. UNDER TAKING PSU SEED DEV. CORNP. LTD. POPULARLY KNOWN AS 'MAHABEEJ' HAS OFFICIALLY MARKETED SAME MONSANTO COUNTER PART RASI IN MAHARASHTRA AND RESULT WAS SAME AS IT WAS REPORTED BY ANDHRA GOVT. IN IT'S PIL IN MRTPC BUT INSTEAD OF ASKING COMPENSATION FROM USA BASE COMPANY MONSANTO, MAHASHATRA GOVT. PAID RS.30 MILLION TO VIDARBHA COTTON GROWERS AS BT-COTTON COMPENSATION, IT'S ACTION TO PROTECT MONSANTO IN MAHARASHTRA AS NCP CHIEF AND INDIAN AGRI, MINISTER SHRAD PAWAR IS HIMSELF PROMOTING BT-COTTON SEED IN MAHARASHTRA MORE OVER THIS YEAR MEGA LUNCHING ADDITIONAL ONE BRAND TITLED AS "AJIT BT" COMPANY OWNED BY HIS NEPHEW SHRI AJIT PAWAR,KISHOR TIWARI ADDED.

VJAS HAS ASKED GOVT. OF MAHARASHTRA TO FILE SAME SUITE TO RECOVER ALL LOSSES VIDARBHA FARMERS AND AMOUNT OF ROYALTY PAID TO MONSANTRO COMPANY BY THE FARMERS OF VIDARBHA AS DONE GOVT. OF ANDHRA PRADESH BECAUSE BOTH ARE CONGRESS LED GOVT. BUT IN MAHARASHTRA KEY ROLE PLAYER IS NCP OF SHRI SHARAD WHICH WORKING AS AGENT ON ROLE FOR MONSANTRO COMPANY ,KISHOR TIWARI ALLEGED.

DUE TO HOSTILE ATTITUDE OF GOVT. 9 MORE FARMERS IN VIDARBHA COMMITTED SUICIDES IN LAST 48 HOURS TAKING MAY TOLL TO 31 AND TOTAL TOLL TO 510 MARK AS GOVT. OF MAHARASHTRA HAS BEEN FAILED TO PROTECT LIFE OF THESE FARMERS. IN VIDARBHA THIS YEAR FARMERS FACING STARVATION AND FARMERS ARE DEMANDING THAT STATE SHOULD SUPPLY FOOD UNDER PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM(PDS) TO EVERY FARMERS FAMILY TILL CRISIS ARE OVER, VJAS INFORMED IN PRESS RELEASE TODAY.

PLEASE ARRANGE TO RELEASE THIS PRESS NOTE

THANKING YOU,
YOURS TRULY,
MOHAN JADHAV
SECRETARY
VIDARBHA JANADOLAN SAMITI
CONTACT-MOBILE-09422108846

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