New Delhi, Aug. 23 (IANS): The Swadeshi Jagran Manch, for the second time in less than 15 days, has demanded a complete ban on Glyphosate, which it holds largely responsible for causing cancer.
The RSS backed body cited findings of pesticide expert Chuck Benbrook to reiterate that demand on Saturday. Benbrook claims that the wide usage of Glyphosate has even contaminated dust particles that one breathes. SJM's Ashwani Mahajan urged Agriculture and farmer welfare minister Narendra Singh Tomar to impose a complete ban on it.
"Right now Cancer cases are now on the rise across india. In the US, companies that used Glyphosate had to face legal consequences and settle matters at hundreds of millions of dollars. Next, I will write to the Prime Minister about it, if our demands are not met with," Mahajan told IANS.
This is the second time in the last 15 days alone that the Singh backed organization has championed the cause. Earlier on August 7, the SJM had urged Tomar's ministry to withdraw its notification on a restricted use of the herbicide.
There are already more than 1 lakh 93 thousands signatories who have signed a petition drafted by Mahajan and addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, demanding the same. Mahajan blamed it on the 'corporate greed" which allows glyphosate to contaminate the soil and water and cause Cancer. However, he added, it is incumbent upon the government to act, if the companies fail to self restrict.