The Police in the Tirunelveli district of Tamil Nadu have registered cases against peaceful protesters agitating against the Koodankulam Nuclear power Project. 3,015 persons have been charged under several sections, including 121 (waging war against country) and 124-A (sedition).
The Koodankulam movement has been one of the most nonviolent struggles in the recent past.
In a recent meeting with the Central Government’s Expert Panel, the movement representatives have demanded relevant documents and have asked a number of questions pertaining to safety and viability of the project and its impact on environment and people’s livelihoods.
Instead of heeding people’s concerns, the government has resorted to slander – with accusations such as presence of `foreign hand’ and has also tried to give the issue a communal colour.
The recent sedition charges are altogether a new level of repression on a democratic and peaceful movement.
Many eminent citizens, academicians, journalists and activists have demanded that these cases must be immediately withdrawn and the ongoing process of consulting people should be carried out in a democratic and transparent manner.
The statement is signed by following groups/individuals-
Achin Vanaik, Professor, Delhi University, New Delhi
Admiral (Retd.) L. Ramdas
Ananthapadmanabhan Guruswamy, Greenpeace International
Anil Chaudhary, PEACE, New Delhi
Anil TV, Programme for Social Action
Anuradha Chenoy, Profesor, JNU, New Delhi
Aruna Rodrigues, Sunray Harvesters
Badri Nayaran, Mumbai
Bharat Mansata, Scholar and Activist, Kolkata
Bharati Manchandani
Cdr S P Taneja (Retd.), Pune
Chiteranjan Singh, INSAF, New Delhi
Dr Sagari Ramdas, Secunderabad
Dr. E A Sharma, Former Secretary (Power), Govt. of India
Dr. Vithal Rajan, Hyderabad
Dr.A.Gopalakrishnan , Former Chairman , Atomic Energy Regulatory Board
Gabriele Deitrich, National Alliance of People’s Movements (NAPM)
Gauhar Raza, New Delhi
Geeta Jhamb, Mumbai
George Pulikuthiyi, Jananeethi Institute, Kerala
Githa Hariharan, Professor, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi
Illina Sen, Professor, MGAHV, Wardha
K Ashok Rao, Formerly of BHEL, New Delhi
Kamal Chenoy, Professor, JNU, New Delhi
Kavitha Kuruganti, Convenor, ASHA (Alliance for Sustainable & Holistic Agriculture)
Lalita Ramdas
Madhu Sarin, New Delhi
Mazher Hussain, COVA, Hyderabad
Mr N. Madhusudhan, Secunderabad
Neera Chandoke, Professor, New Delhi
Partha Chatterjee, Professor, Columbia University
Praful Bidwai, Eminent Journalist, New Delhi
Prashant Bhushan, Lawyer, New Delhi
Primila Lewis
Prof. K N Panikkar
Rammanohar Reddy, Editor, Economic and Political Weekly
Ritu Menon, Scholar and Activist, Women Unlimited, New Delhi
Seema Mustafa, Journalist, New Delhi
Shankar Sharma, Power Policy Analyst, Karnataka
Shripad Dharmadhikary, Manthan Adhyayan Kendra, Pune
Sukla Sen (EKTA Committee for Communal Amity, Mumbai)
Vijayan MJ & Lakshmi Premkumar, Delhi Forum
Vineeta Bal, Scientist, New Delhi
Vrinda Grover, Lawyer and Human Rights Activist, New Delhi
Wifred D\\\’Costa, PEACE, Dew Delhi.