IB report against them `scare-mongering', say anti-nuke activists

As per the report, anti-nuclear activism coupled with protests against coal mining and the green lobby had stalled development and, in turn, slowed down the growth of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by two-to-three per cent.

Five civil rights activists involved in anti-nuclear movements across the country and named in the Intelligence Bureau report on ``Concerted Efforts by Select Foreign Funded NGOs to `take down’ Indian development projects’’ on Friday described the report as ``farcical’’ and aimed at ``scare-mongering’’ to ``delegitimize’’ genuine people’s struggles.

 While three of them – Achin Vinayak, Praful Bidwai and M. G. Devasahayam – jointly addressed a press conference in the Capital, two others – former Navy Chief L. Ramdas and S. P. Udayakumar who spearheaded the agitation against the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project – joined them via Skype to challenge the IB report.

 As per the report, anti-nuclear activism coupled with protests against coal mining and the green lobby had stalled development and, in turn, slowed down the growth of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by two-to-three per cent.

 Stating that the report was aimed at intimidating activists to discourage people from taking a stand, Mr. Udayakumar said the IB had put his life and that of his family at risk with the kind of allegations that have been levelled. He threatened to take the IB to ``legal task’’ for sullying his name.

 Rejecting the allegations levelled against the anti-nuclear activists, columnist Praful Bidwai said: ``If a senior IB official can concoct dangerous stuff, this should worry all of us because if this is the way the IB is going to work, then national security is under threat. The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) has a more credible figure of a seven per cent loss to the GDP because of environmental destruction.’’

Pointing to the Environment Ministry’s decision to fast-track clearances for projects, he said the report appeared to have been officially leaked to create a climate against NGOs and nip any resistance.

 ``Appalled and aggrieved’’ by the report, Admiral Ramdas said his patriotism and integrity was being questioned after a career in defence of the country. Mr. Devasahayam, a retired bureaucrat and power policy expert, said: ``If this is the kind of intelligence from the IB on which India is to be governed, then god help this country.’’

Asked about the charge that anti-nuclear activism was foreign-funded, Mr. Vinayak maintained that the Coalition for Nuclear Disarmament and Peace, and People’s Movement Against Nuclear Energy were domestically funded. ``Neither are we acting on behalf of any government. We are Indians but we are opposed to nuclear power and nuclear weapons here and abroad.’’

 As for linkages with similar movements overseas, academic Achin Vinayak said there was solidarity on the issue and urged the media to also question corporate linkages with companies across the global. ``Doesn’t money that comes from corporates the worldover influence policy?’’