The activists of the Students Federation of India (SFI) and the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) also burnt Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in effigy at Jantar Mantar.
The demonstration coincided with ‘Anti-Endosulfan Day’ being observed in Kerala where Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan observed a day-long fast demanding a ban on the pesticide.
“Enough is enough. We won’t tolerate another Bhopal. Time for detailed studies as suggested by Prime Minister is gone. Now is the time for action and for nationwide ban on Endosulfan,” SFI vice-president P.K. Anand said.
He said over 2,000 people were affected by the pesticide in northern Kerala and Karnataka. “A tribunal should also be set up to compensate the victims,” Mr. Anand demanded. The protesters slammed Union Minister for Forests and Environment Jairam Ramesh for being “stubborn” on the issue and asked him to visit the most-affected Kasaragod district in Kerala. “Children with physical deformities are taking birth in Kasaragod district. More than 10,000 people are affected by this killer pesticide in one way or another. It must be banned as soon as possible,” the former DYFI State secretary P.I. Ravindranath said. — PTI