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PMANE head to give in but public anger persists
The agitation against Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant by the volunteers of the People's Movement Against Nuclear Energy spilled on to the streets in Tamil Nadu on Tuesday.
The death of 48-year-old Antony John in Monday's police firing led to many Tamil groups protesting in Chennai and other parts of the State. No untoward incidents have been reported other than mild skirmishes between police and agitators.
In Chennai city, activists belonging to Tamil groups pelted stones at buses and Government vehicles.
SP Udayakumar, convener, PMANE, who shot into national prominence thanks to uninterrupted live coverage by TV news channels, declared that he would surrender to police late Tuesday to ensure the safety of the activists staging demonstration against the KNPP. Udayakumar said he, along with three other leaders of PMANE, would surrender before the authorities on condition that women and children demonstrating against the plant should not be harassed. He said there was no question of calling off the agitation. "We want the closure of the plant. The Government should close down this plant and build a thermal power station in its place," said Udayakumar. He claimed there were many instances of nuclear power plants being shut down after loading of fuel rods. Udayakumar alleged that the police was conspiring to conduct house-to-house searches in the villages around Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant under pretext of nabbing the PMANE leaders.
Intelligence officials, both State and Central, told this newspaper that the agitation against the KNPP resemble a carnival more than a demonstration. "Demonstrators coming from various parts of the State are offered biryani and refreshments by the volunteers. An agitation of this magnitude could not be held without massive funding," said a senior officer.
Director General of Police K Ramanujam said the PMANE volunteers had planned to attack the KNPP. "It was the intervention of police which prevented them from coming near the nuclear plant, " Ramanujam told reporters. He said the police came under attack by the marauding volunteers. "Nets were laid on the sand along the Kudankulam seashore to trap the police," said the DGP.
The Tamil Nadu Government has asked the Union Government to allocate the entire 2,000 MW power to be generated in the first two units of the KNPP to the State which is reeling under severe power shortage.
The agitation against Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant by the volunteers of the People's Movement Against Nuclear Energy spilled on to the streets in Tamil Nadu on Tuesday.
The death of 48-year-old Antony John in Monday's police firing led to many Tamil groups protesting in Chennai and other parts of the State. No untoward incidents have been reported other than mild skirmishes between police and agitators.
In Chennai city, activists belonging to Tamil groups pelted stones at buses and Government vehicles.
SP Udayakumar, convener, PMANE, who shot into national prominence thanks to uninterrupted live coverage by TV news channels, declared that he would surrender to police late Tuesday to ensure the safety of the activists staging demonstration against the KNPP. Udayakumar said he, along with three other leaders of PMANE, would surrender before the authorities on condition that women and children demonstrating against the plant should not be harassed. He said there was no question of calling off the agitation. "We want the closure of the plant. The Government should close down this plant and build a thermal power station in its place," said Udayakumar. He claimed there were many instances of nuclear power plants being shut down after loading of fuel rods. Udayakumar alleged that the police was conspiring to conduct house-to-house searches in the villages around Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant under pretext of nabbing the PMANE leaders.
Intelligence officials, both State and Central, told this newspaper that the agitation against the KNPP resemble a carnival more than a demonstration. "Demonstrators coming from various parts of the State are offered biryani and refreshments by the volunteers. An agitation of this magnitude could not be held without massive funding," said a senior officer.
Director General of Police K Ramanujam said the PMANE volunteers had planned to attack the KNPP. "It was the intervention of police which prevented them from coming near the nuclear plant, " Ramanujam told reporters. He said the police came under attack by the marauding volunteers. "Nets were laid on the sand along the Kudankulam seashore to trap the police," said the DGP.
The Tamil Nadu Government has asked the Union Government to allocate the entire 2,000 MW power to be generated in the first two units of the KNPP to the State which is reeling under severe power shortage.
