Lawyer moves HC to arrest anti-nuclear protestors at Kudankulam

An advocate Thursday moved the Madras High Court for a direction to the Tamil Nadu government to arrest protesters against whom criminal cases had been filed, for stalling commissioning of the prestigious Indo-Russian Kundankulam Nuclear Power plant in Tirunelveli district.

When the PIL filed by city based advocate D Ranganathan came up for hearing, Justice N Paul Vasanthakumar adjourned it by two weeks for filing of counter affidavits by the authorities concerned.

The advocate submitted that criminal cases had been registered under various IPC sections, including criminal conspiracy (120-B),waging war or attempting to wage war against the Centre (121), sedition (124-A) and voluntary provocation with intent to cause riots (153).

'Though a FIR was registered, thereafter nothing has been done to prevent protestors from preventing the commissioning of the plant', he claimed and alleged that SP Udayakumar, a representative of 'Peoples' Movement Against Nuclear Energy', spearheading the agitation, has allegedly indulged in false propaganda, instigating local villagers to protest.

Though experts had allayed their fears by inspecting the site, the protesters have refused to budge from there,claiming that even advanced countries like Germany had decided to shut down 17 nuclear power reactors, he said.

He also pointed out that aeronautical scientist and former President APJ Abdul Kalam, after visiting the plant had declared 'it is safe in all aspects.'