National Alliance of People's Movements (NAPM),
Coalition for Nuclear Disarmament and Peace (CNDP), Lok Rajniti Manch and Delhi
Solidarity Group are organizing a protest and fast from today (26 March) till 1
April 2012, at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi, in solidarity with ongoing fast by
activists of the anti-nuclear movement at Idinthakarai, Tamil Nadu, against the
Kudankulam nuclear power plant.
NAPM National Convener and
noted Social activist Sandeep Pandey is sitting on a seven day fast.
In Chennai, too, people are fasting in support of
anti-nuclear movement in Kudankulam.
In Mumbai, noted film-maker Anand Patwardhan is
leading a protest in front of Dadar Railway Station.
On March 27, one-day fast will be organized at many
places in support of the local people protesting against the Kudankulam nuclear
power plant.
NAPM Andhra Pradesh is organising a protest
demonstration and candle light vigil between 6 to 8 pm on March 27 at Ambedkar
Statue, near Tank Bund, Hyderabad.
In a statement, NAPM said:
It is ironical that India
has raised the issue of atrocities on Tamil people in Sri Lanka at UNHRC but is
not relenting its nuclear power pursuit which potentially puts its own Tamil
people at grave risk of nuclear tragedy.
We strongly condemn the undemocratic manner in which
nuclear energy is forced upon us. Not only Indian government has used a strong
hand to snub the People’s Movement Against Nuclear Energy (PMANE) in Kudankulam,
Tamil Nadu, but also is trying to intimidate and stifle resistance by
misleading allegations of a ‘foreign hand’.
Dr S P Udayakumar who leads PMANE has declared his
personal assets and he has no FCRA account to receive foreign money. Whereas it
is clear that Indian government is working hand-in-glove with bigger ‘foreign
hands’ of the USA, Russia and other countries in its joint military operations
and expanding nuclear programme.
The latest attempt by the CM of Tamil Nadu to brand Udayakumar
as a Naxal clearly shows the desperation of the government. We condemn such
underhand tactics and attempts by government to mislead general public.
It is the people in Europe and America that have forced their governments by coming out in large numbers on street to abandon nuclear energy. But Indian government is trying to stifle such people’s initiatives to have their say. Our claims of being the largest democracy prove to be hollow.
The recent nuclear emergency in Japan leaves no doubt that the world needs to renounce nuclear power for military and civil/energy purposes, as soon as possible, to put an end to any further catastrophe in the name of 'energy', 'security' or 'technology'. Nuclear power is clearly the most dangerous options for civil or military use. Countries that have been using nuclear power such as Germany have resolved to abandon nuclear energy by 2022. Japan, the USA, and many such nations who were earlier pursuing nuclear energy option are having second thoughts now.
We believe that India should adopt the futuristic energy policy like Japan and the European Union (EU) relying on renewable sources of energy which are non-polluting. Like EU and Japan, India too should aim for a low-carbon energy production system. India’s future energy policy should be low carbon and no nuclear.
We appeal to the Indian government to support dialogue on nuclear energy in a democratic way and until there is a consensus on whether India should go ahead with nuclear programme or not, should stall all nuclear programmes.
It is the people in Europe and America that have forced their governments by coming out in large numbers on street to abandon nuclear energy. But Indian government is trying to stifle such people’s initiatives to have their say. Our claims of being the largest democracy prove to be hollow.
The recent nuclear emergency in Japan leaves no doubt that the world needs to renounce nuclear power for military and civil/energy purposes, as soon as possible, to put an end to any further catastrophe in the name of 'energy', 'security' or 'technology'. Nuclear power is clearly the most dangerous options for civil or military use. Countries that have been using nuclear power such as Germany have resolved to abandon nuclear energy by 2022. Japan, the USA, and many such nations who were earlier pursuing nuclear energy option are having second thoughts now.
We believe that India should adopt the futuristic energy policy like Japan and the European Union (EU) relying on renewable sources of energy which are non-polluting. Like EU and Japan, India too should aim for a low-carbon energy production system. India’s future energy policy should be low carbon and no nuclear.
We appeal to the Indian government to support dialogue on nuclear energy in a democratic way and until there is a consensus on whether India should go ahead with nuclear programme or not, should stall all nuclear programmes.
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