Leader of Peoples Movement Against Nuclear Energy (PMANE), which is spearheading the protest here, offered unconditional talks with the central and state governments.
After ‘jal satyagraha’, the protesters, including women, shifted their stir from sea to beach and buried themselves upto waist at nearby Kootapuli, holding placards against the Centre and state governments.
PMANE convenor Udayakumar, for whom police have launched a search, told reporters over phone from an undisclosed place that he was open for unconditional talks with the central and state governments.
Mr. Udayakumar, who has been in hiding since last week after the year-long protest turned violent, said they were ready to give up the agitation if the government assured that fuel would not be filled for now.
He alleged that the expert committees formed by the state and central governments to address the safety concerns of the protesters neither held any discussions with the people nor heard their views.
Around 250 members of smaller parties were arrested in Tuticorin, about 50 km from here, when they attempted to set out on a march to Idinthakarai to express solidarity with the anti-KNPP protesters.
Actor-Director Seeman, heading the ‘Naam Tamizhar Iyakkam’, Periyar Dravida Kazhagam leader Kolathur Mani and workers of Tamil Nadu Muslim Munnetra Kazhagam were among those arrested, police said.
