Anti-nuke villagers in India ban political campaign

Chennai, India, 18 March 2014: Idinthakarai villagers, who have been opposing Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant (KNPP) in the Southern Indian State of Tamil Nadu, have decided not to allow political parties to campaign in their village.

The rule will also apply to Aam Admi Party (APP), which roped in People's Movement against Nuclear Energy Convener, S P Udaikumar into the party.

"The villagers' committee has decided not to allow any political representatives from outside to campaign inside the village. We have no objection to political leaders meeting the church administration. This will also apply to AAP", said S R J Augustin, the leader of the village.

Reports quoting Augustin said that the village had consciously decided not to make any concession in the case of AAP as well, because they have decided to treat all political parties equally.

Fishermen from the village of Idinthakarai, a 15-20-minute drive from Kudankulam, have been protesting against the plant for the last 960 days. The controversy-ridden plant set up along with Russia is located on the shores of Kudankulam village in Tirunelveli district, around 700 km from Chennai.

It may be noted, Udayakumar last month joined AAP with around 500 supporters and he is also likely to contest on an AAP ticket from the nearby Kanyakumari constituency, which saw its first Lok Sabha election in 2009 and a DMK candidate was elected.

Besides Udayakumar, MP Jesurajan and Peter Milton were among the other prominent anti-nuclear activists who joined the party, while Pushparayan and Mugilan, two other PMANE leaders, have decided not to join AAP.

In December, AAP's Senior leader and senior Lawyer Prashant Bhushan visited the village, which is protesting against the plant for the last over two years, to express solidarity and that time he said his Party would extend its support to the opponents of nuclear energy.Source: UCAN