The anti-Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project Struggle Committee convener S.P. Udayakumar has alleged that protesters staging a ‘sathyagraha’ against the upcoming nuclear plant had been let down by Chief Minister Jayalalithaa who, he said, was once with the protesters.
Speaking to reporters before addressing the public here on Tuesday, Dr. Udayakumar recounted that Ms. Jayalalithaa had given a patient hearing when the anti-KKNPP protesters met her with an appeal to scrap the project. At a time when the people believed that a political leader who was really concerned about the Tamils had come to power, she suddenly changed her stance and let the people down on this serious issue.
Door-to-door combing operation
He said he and his associates M. Pushparayan, M.P. Jesuraj and M. Muhilan had decided to surrender to the police after he came to know that law-enforcers, “who had spread a rumour that five police officers had gone missing following yesterday’s operation,” were planning to conduct a door-to-door combing operation at Idinthakarai in search of the ‘missing’ personnel.”
“We will prove our innocence in court”
“Since this search operation in houses is going to be done only with the intention of harassing our people, we have decided to produce ourselves to the police. Though we are being treated like an international terrorist like Osama bin Laden, we will prove our innocence in a court of law. The people will continue their agitation against KKNPP across the country even after we are arrested,” he said.
He claimed that their “non-violent” agitation against the KKNPP had attracted the entire world’s attention.
He termed it a “valiant battle” against the nuclear power programme to save the environment and water from being polluted by radiation.
Keywords: Kudankulam nuclear project, anti-Kudankulam protest, nuclear safety, anti-KKNPP protests, violent clashes, Udayakumar surrender
Mr. Udaykumar is clearly a sincere and serious man. But he also seems caught in a hopeless and even misguided suspicion on nuclear power for India. Yes, the probability of an accident releasing radiation is not zero, but it is small. A sober cost-benefit analysis, rather than an irrational fear should be the basis of the debate. And demands of fair compensation for those displaced or impoverished by the plant are in order. But nothing I have seen indicates that the energy needs of India could be met by safer or more humane means.
@Wasim, Udayakumar wants the 'dangerous' nuclear power plant to be replaced by a 'safe' thermal power plant. This just goes to show that they are just anti nuclear fanatics who have taken advantage of the fears of the simple village folk.
Mr Udaykumar and Mr Kejriwal,
I am curious to know; whether your house is supplied by electricity or not? if it is supplied by electricity you must take it out and use stone to light your house.
As far as my knowledge coal is used to produce the electricity. had you ever talked about the status of coal miners or tribal/poor people living in that area?
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