Thousands of tribal demand food but govt. offer DNA Test

VIDARBHA JAN ANDOLAN SAMITI

11,Trisaranagar,Khamala,Nagpur-440025

Mobile-09422108846, 0712-2282457 email-vjasamiti@gmail.com

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Ref-Vidarbha Farm Crisis PRESS-NOTE- Dated-27/09/2007

Thousands of tribal demand food but govt. offer DNA Test

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Thousands of tribal demand food but govt. offer DNA Test

Pandharkawada-27/09/2007

Today thousands of tribal farmers participated in rally demanding food to dying farmers of vidarbha at sub divisional head quarter pandharkawada in yavatmal district but instead of giving food security to these dying tribal farmer administration has asked them to give blood for DNA Test to analysis link of suicides with other region of India, kishor tiwari of vidarbha jan andolan samiti informed in press release today.

Massive rally was taken out in which more than 10,000 tribal farmers of yavatmal district which has reported more than 1000 farm suicides in last five years mostly tribal banjara and dalit .thousands tribal women participated in today big protest where unhappy over non functional public distribution system PDS and tribal farmers who are food starved are not covered under BPL list and hence they are not covered under any relief aid .when tribal farmers are demanding food to eat local administration is forcing them to give blood samples for DNA test as reported today by national daily that

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Govt to study DNA link to suicides

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Nagpur/Govt_to_study_DNA_link_to_suicides/articleshow/2406675.cms

NAGPUR: After a proposal mooted over four months ago, the Anthropological Survey of India (ASI) has formally appointed a research fellow on Wednesday to carryout a study to probe the genetic link to the spate of farmers' suicides in Vidarbha. The appointment was made during an internal meeting held in the city. "The plan was mooted in a seminar held in the city a few months ago following which the decision was taken now," said ASI's director-in-charge Dr V R Rao. He was present in the city to attend the meeting. The research fellow and his team would collect DNA samples from the affected families. The study may continue for next two to three years. Though no formal arrangement has been made, there are plans to submit the report to the state government, said Rao. A similar research is under way in Arunachal Pradesh, where around 150 samples have been collected. There is particular group of people in this north-eastern state amongst which a large number of suicides are committed. The research in Vidarbha will be linked to the research in Arunachal Pradesh, mentioned Rao. There are chances that it would be some genetic factor which makes people in a particular community more prone to suicidal tendency. In this case, there may be two different persons undergoing a similar emotional distress but one with a prominent suicide gene may attempt to end his life, he added. Research in foreign countries speaks of a particular gene leading to such a tendency among humans. During his last visit, Rao had spoken to top officials from the state government mooting a proposal to research suicides in this region. Though as he says no specific arrangement has been made to submit the report to the state government, the ASI formally appointed a research fellow for this purpose. The work on the project is expected to start shortly, added Rao.

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Now large protest rally has been organized on the 2 ^nd October next week in which thousands of farmers will decided future course of action as govt. has not considering main demands of cotton grower which are restoration of cotton price and complete loan waiver to dying farmers in order to stop on going vidarbha farm suicides, kishor tiwari added.l

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Please arrange to release this press note

Kishor Tiwari

President

Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti

vjasamiti@gmail.com

contact-09422108846