Talks between Central experts' team and State panel adjourned
The much-awaited talks between the Central experts team on Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project and the State panel, scheduled for Tuesday, did not take place after a couple of anti-nuke protestors were roughed up by Hindu Munnani activists on the Collectorate premises here even as they arrived at the venue for talks.
The Palayamkottai police have arrested 14 persons, including Hindu Munnani State vice-president V.P. Jayakumar, in this connection. They were remanded in the evening.
The Central team had to abruptly adjourn the talks following the unsavoury developments. The date for the next round of talks, if any, will be finalised after holding talks with the convener of the Central team A.E. Muthunayagam and convener of the anti-KKNPP struggle committee S.P. Udayakumar, who declared, after the scuffle, that the ongoing protest would continue with much vigour and there was no scope for further talks with the Central panel since there was no safety and security for the anti-nuke activists who come for talks.
“We cannot be cowed down by such undemocratic intimidations, being unleashed by the Congress and Hindu fanatics”.
Even as the Central team members were waiting at the Collector's chamber on the first floor of the Collectorate for the arrival State panel members M. Pushparayan and Rev. Fr. M.P. Jesuraj, a group of Hindu Munnani activists and local office-bearers, led by Mr. Jayakumar, came to the venue to submit a memorandum to the Collector, seeking immediate arrest of Dr. Udayakumar and others, including RC Bishop of Tuticorin Diocese Rt. Rev. Yvon Ambroise “for inciting violence and triggering panic by spreading rumours about the KKNPP.”
While Mr. Jayakumar was speaking to the waiting reporters, the sports utility vehicle carrying anti-nuke protestors, including Mr. Pushparayan, Rev. Fr. Jesuraj, Dr. Udayakumar and Muhilan entered the Collectorate premises. On seeing them, about 15 Hindu Munnani activists accompanying Mr. Jayakumar charged towards the vehicle and forcibly opened the door to drag Mr. Muhilan out of the vehicle. A group of 16 women, all accompanying the anti-nuke protestors in a separate van, surrounded the Hindu Munnani activists and assaulted them with their footwear.
In the melee, a stone was thrown on the windscreen of the anti-nuke protesters' vehicle, damaging it. Despite the effort of the police, it took nearly five minutes to bring back normality.
Slogans raised
While the Hindu Munnani functionaries were immediately detained and taken to the Palayamkottai police station, the agitated anti-nuke group women raised slogans condemning the attack.
Following this development, Dr. Udayakumar and his team left the Collectorate premises after declaring that they would not take part in the talks anymore “as the Centre has started exterminating the anti-nuke protesters”.
As they informed their relatives about this incident, church bells in all coastal hamlets of the district around 11.15 a.m. mobilised fishermen from all these villages near the Kamaraj statue close to the main gate of KKNPP site an hour later. A road roko was staged condemning the attack.
However, a brief address by Dr. Udayakumar, who lauded the police for their timely intervention, pacified the crowd around 4.30 p.m.
Keywords: Tirunelveli Collectorate, Hindu Munnani, KKNP, Kudankulam protests, Kudankulam
After the Tsunami attack in Japan, even a technologically advanced country like Japan is turning away from Nuclear energy, then why is it that India so much needs to go for such unsustainable sources of energy? Moreover for the sake of enriched Nuclear fuel we are surrendering our autonomy to 'terrorist' nations like the US.
And now this insane rush for energy has reached a new level by attacking citizens for the sake of some pervert objectives... What is the difference between Nandigram, West Bengal violence and this Koodankulam violence?? The only difference is that so far lives have not been lost. And in Nandigram it was the police, here it is political party people! PROTECT DEMOCRACY! SAVE CIVIL RIGHTS!
It is enraging to hear the attacks on the representatives of the peaceful protestors against the installation and the functioning of the Koodunkulam Nuclear Project at Tirunelveli on the 31st January 2012. This cowardly inhuman act was aimed at disrupting the six month long peaceful protests of the laboring masses at the south Tamil Nadu. The forces which are not able to stomach the unity of all the working classes and subaltern groups are instigating such violence. And it is sad to note that the agency which invited the civil society group for a peaceful talk did not even make arrangements to give protection to the Satyagrahis. The world knows that these ordinary people totally believe in democratic means which is constitutionally allowed and Gandhiji, the Father of nation urged us to follow. And these fascist forces indirectly communicate to the world that they do not believe in such ‘civilised means’ preached and practiced by Gandhiji whom the world respect for his satyagraha.
It is encouraging to note all leaders of people movements and democrats strongly condemning this barbaric act and exposed the nature of the fundamentalist outfits and the parties which instigated them for such acts. Surely such barbaric incidents will unite all people movements, civil society groups, social movements, subaltern groups and even organic intellectuals and come together to accelerate the fight against these fundamentalist outfits. Already one could notice posters in many cities condemning these ruffians all over the state. And the State government should give adequate protection to Udyakumar and his team. It is the duty of the government. Governments duly elected by the people should be truthful and sincere in protecting the rights of the subjects, rather than submitting to the selfish demands of the multi-national companies.
I strongly condemn this inhuman act of the fundamental outfits against the leaders of the peaceful protestors. After all what else can we expect from the killers of Gandhiji, the Father of the nation whom the world respect for his satyagraha and these forces indirectly communicate to the world that they do not believe in such ‘civilised means’. Though this not completely unexpected in the places where gangs like the Hindu Munnani are present Governments duly elected by the people should be truthful and sincere in protecting the rights of the subjects, rather than submitting to the selfish demands of the multi-national companies. And the State government should give adequate protection to Udyakumar and his team. It is the duty of the government.
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