Kudankulum agitation update

A day after the PM’s remarks blaming US-based activists for the anti-nuclear protests in Kudankulam, the Centre cancelled the licences of three south Tamil Nadu-based NGOs allegedly involved in the agitation against the nuclear power project. The action follows an inquiry conducted by the Union home ministry on funding for the agitation which has stalled work on the Russian-aided project. MoS in the Prime Minister’s Office V Narayanasamy confirmed the action but said the names of the three NGOs have not yet been released by the home ministry. There were indications of tough action against some NGOs after PM Manmohan Singh, in an interview to a science journal, accused US-based NGOs of fanning the protests. Once the licences are cancelled, the NGOs cannot source funds, an official said. “These NGOs have violated the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act and therefore their licences have been cancelled. The three NGOs did not maintain proper accounts and also did not utilize the funds for the purpose they were meant for,” said Narayanasamy. He said the government probed their activities on information that some NGOs, which were receiving funds from the US and Scandinavian countries, were spending huge amounts on the anti-Kudankulam agitation. “In fact, people have been agitating near the plant for the past three months. They are being brought in trucks from various villages. They are even provided food,” he said. The home ministry had sent a team in January to probe the accounts of the three NGOs. S P Udayakumar, convener of the People’s Movement Against Nuclear Energy, which is spearheading the protests, said, “It’s unfortunate that the PM has made the allegations without any documentary proof. We strongly deny his observation.”