Police charge bishop for aiding protest against nuclear power plant in India
(Nov. 16, 2011) Police have charged a bishop and four parish priests with aiding
and supporting a protest against the Koodankulam nuclear power plant in southern
India’s Tamil Nadu State. Bishop Yvon Ambroise of Tuticorin diocese said on Tuesday
that he and the priests, along with some social activists, have also been charged
with illegal assembly and preventing government officials from carrying out official
work at the construction site in Koodankulam in Tirunelveli district. The plant is
scheduled to commence operation next month. “We are aware of the charge sheets and
will face the charges legally,” Bishop Ambroise said on Tuesday. He said that the
case is a tactic to create fear among protestors. “We are undeterred by the charges
filed by the local police and the struggle will go on,” he added. For the last
two months, protestors, mainly Catholic fishermen, have been agitating against the
newly built $3 billion nuclear power plant, built with Russian technology in Koodankulam.
Since the protest began on September 11, more than 8,000 people have been charged
by police for protesting against the nuclear plant. Bishop Ambroise said, “We were
objecting to the plant from the beginning, but after the Fukushima disaster in Japan,
people have also understood the problems with nuclear energy and are protesting against
the plant.” He clarified that the anti-nuclear agitation was a people’s movement and
not a church-led movement.