Tirunelveli (TN): Continuing his fast against
the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant, convener of People's
Movement Against Nuclear Energy (PMANE) S P Udayakumar on Monday
said the protesters were "ready" for talks.
"We are ready for talks. If we are considered people of
this country and if our ahimsa protest is respected,
government should talk to us. They should treat us like Indian
people," Udayakumar, on an indefinite fast since March 12
along with his supporters, told reporters in Idinthakarai near
here, the epicentre of the stir against the project.
He said it was regrettable that the government was
suddenly "belittling" the protesters by accusing them of
having links with Maoists and foreign countries.
Observing that the protesters met Prime Minister Manmohan
Singh once and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa twice as
part of their dialogue process, he said, "suddenly to describe
and portray us as having links with Naxals and as anti-
nationals, demeans people who have faith in democracy."
The anti-nuclear activists of PMANE have been on an
indefinite fast after Tamil Nadu government gave its go-ahead
to the Indo-Russian nuclear project on March 19, after which
work at the plant is on in full swing.
PTI
First Published: Monday, March 26, 2012, 16:05