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| CURRENT AFFAIRS |
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KOODANKULAM |
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“Idinthakarai reveals how cruel governments can be”
On the eighth day of the hunger strike, anti nuclear plant protestors say they continue to wait for the Central and state government to come talk to them
Jeemon Jacob
Idinthakarai / Thiruvananthapuram
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A protestor who was on hunger strike being taken to hospital
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A woman protester was shifted to hospital even as the anti-nuclear plant protests entered the eighth day. Forty-year-old Melred Raj, was shifted to the local hospital on Sunday 25 March, after she fainted at the protest venue. Her condition is said to be stable now .
However, SP Udayakumar, convener PMANE said he, Pushparayan and their core group of 13 local residents will continue their hunger strike that started after Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa gave a nod to the Koodankulam Nuclear Power Project.
“Pushparayan, 13 of our friends and I have become weaker and tired. But we are still able to sit up and talk to people. Nobody from the state government or the Central government has bothered to come and see us or talk to us. A medical team came to check on 23 March, but no public health officials visited the protest venue where around 10,000 people are thronged,” said Udayakumar. According to him, police is waiting to arrest the PMANE leaders and other activists when they are shifted to hospital.
“Idinthakarai reveals how cruel governments can be, we have only one hope as Koodankulam protests are getting support from people across the country. On Monday 26 march , filmmaker Anand Patwardhan will lead the protest at 5 pm at Dadar railway station in Mumbai. In Delhi, Magsaysay Award winner Sandeep Pandey will lead a seven day fast in solidarity with the Koodankulam struggle. On Sunday, human rights organisations staged protests in Bangalore too,” said Udayakumar.
“The state police continues crack down on anti-nuke protesters, and told the village elders to go back to fishing and not to transport food or provisions to Idinthakarai . But our supply lines are intact,” added Pushparayan. A medical team visited Idinthakarai on Monday and tended to the protesters who are on hunger strike .
Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu government has convened a meeting of 13 Panchayat leaders to plan the distribution of the 500-crore rehabilitation package for those affected by the nuclear plant’s development.
Jeemon Jacob is Bureau Chief, South with Tehelka.
jeemonj@gmail.com |
