Kudankulam project: NCCI denounce assault on women protesters

The National Council of Churches in India (NCCI) has taken exception at the assault on anti-Kudankulam protesters, mainly women, in Tirunelveli, Tamil Nadu, on Tuesday.

The NCCI said it was "deeply anguished" to learn that the women who had peacefully assembled to submit a memorandum to the Chief Executive of the District Administration in his office premises were attacked.

The protesters, who were opposing the commissioning of the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant, were reportedly attacked by goons belonging to Hindu Munnani, Hindu Nationalist Congress and other right-wing groups. Several of the women protesters have been hospitalized following the brutal assault.

"It is shocking to know that this attack was executed while the Chief Executive of the District Administration was seated in his office along with the Central Government's Expert Groups. It is all the more appalling that the attack was passively witnessed by the deployed police force," said Rev. Dr. Roger Gaikwad, general secretary of the NCCI.

Two of the activists attacked were also in the panel for talks with the government-appointed experts.

"The NCCI strongly condemns such violent expressions, especially against women. These assaults appear to be 'pre-planned', being executed in front of the police force and that too inside the District Administration Office," said Rev. Gaikwad.

The NCCI has called for a strong judicial probe headed by a woman Justice.

The apex body of the Protestant and Orthodox churches in India demanded the Tamil Nadu Government to table a 'White Paper' on Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant during the Assembly Session.

The Rs. 13,700-crore Kudankulam nuclear power plant project is a joint venture by India and Russia. Protests over safety concerns have stalled work on the project for over three months.

The central and state governments had set up two panels to allay the fears of the people.

The previous three rounds of talks between the panels last year failed to make any headway towards commissioning of the first unit at the KNPP.