BANGALORE: UP in arms against the Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC), Kamataka’s most prominent farmers association, the Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha, last week warned the American fast food chain to close down its shop here within a week or face “direct action.”

Sangha president Prof MD Najunda Swamy told reporters here that the farmers’ body would also fight against the “Pizza Hut’ and McDonald fast food chains expected to come up here, Citing a US Senate investigation report on the state of cancer, he said one American contracted cancer every seven seconds and the culprits were identified as processed meats and chicken in the junk food industry.

Prof Nanjunda Swamy alleged that fried chicken served in KFC outlets could pose health problems, including obesity and/high cholesterol, and Pointed out that fried chicken Was also considered to be carcinogenic.

He said the instant food industry used chicken with leucosis (chicken cancer). Meat and chicken production also involved a large quantity of food grains to feed the animals, with estimates showing that the requirement was five times more than was needed for human beings.

Prof Nanjunda Swamy said it also meant that water resources had to be diverted to grow food grains and fodder for the animals.

He said the farmers association had already issued notice to the KFC outie there to close down, failing which it would resort to “direct action” in tandem with other organizations.

KFC started its outlet in Bangalore in June and Pizza Hut is expected to ‘Open its restaurant in December. Prof Nanjunda Swamy criticized the Janata Dal Government for allowing these fast food chain oullets to be ‘Opened in Bangalore. “Chandra Shekhar and VP, Singh are opposing them, but their followers Deve Gowda and J.H, Patel are allowing them,” he said, He also released’ a letter written by former Union Environment Minister Maneka Gandhi expressing her opposition other entry of meat and chickenbased junk food chains into India.

Article extracted from this publication >>  August 11, 1995

 

Article extracted from this publication >>