February 24, 2012 11:27 PM EST
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh should prove his remarks that the U.S. or Scandinavian NGOs are funding the protests against the Kudankulam nuclear power plant in Tamil Nadu or take back what he said, fumed the protest leader of the movement on Friday.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has said that American NGOs are behind the protests at the Kudankulam plant in an interview to American magazine Science.
The interview which appeared on Friday, quoted the PM saying: "What's happening in Kudankulam...the atomic energy programme has got into difficulties because these NGOs, mostly I think based in the United States, don't appreciate the need for our country to increase the energy supply."
S P Udayakumar, the coordinator of the People's Movement Against Nuclear Energy, was caustic in his reaction soon after the story circulated.
"The Prime Minister, who is the head of state of the largest democracy has no sympathetic word for a seven-month-long struggle which is non-violent and democratic. It is a shame. He is belittling the whole thing. We reject this accusation," Udaykumar said.
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"It is completely baseless and he has no trace of evidence. We are not receiving any money from any Indian or international NGO at all," he said.
He said the PM is an important, responsible person, and so "why cant he produce some evidence to prove his charge."
"The PM actually insults the people of India. Does he think we are all stooges like Congressmen?" he asked.
"He should take this back. He should prove this charge or get out of government or politics. He is a nominated prime minister of multinationals and so he is saying like this," Udaykumar said.
"If we are receiving money, how much money is his party and government receiving from multinationals for opening up retail sector. Let him acknowledge," slammed Udaykumar.
"We are not Congressmen, we are people of India. We are not fighting for political office or gains," he said.
In the interview, the PM was quoted saying on the Bt brinjal protest: "Biotechnology has enormous potential and in due course of time we must make use of genetic engineering technologies to increase the productivity of our agriculture. But there are controversies. There are NGOs, often funded from the United States and the Scandinavian countries, which are not fully appreciative of the development challenges that our country faces."
On Friday, Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) V. Narayanasamy also backed the PM saying that they have received reports about the NGOs in Tirunelveli and Thuthukudi around the project being funded by NGOs of USA and Scandinavia.
He said three NGOs were diverting foreign funds for nourishing this agitation.
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