An Urgent Appeal to the Conscience of the Nation on Koodankulam

KUDANKULAM ANTI-NUCLEAR SATYAGRAHA, INDIA, 21 May 2012

Many – TRANSCEND Media Service

Dear Fellow Citizens of India,

This appeal is a reflection of our collective frustration and instead of being sent to the Govt, it will be presented before people of India.

It is already endorsed by eminent Indians like Prashant Bhushan, Aruna Roy, Binayak Sen, Vandana Shiva, Lalita Ramdas, Partha Chatterjee, Praful Bidwai, Achin Vanaik, Gnani Sankaran, John Dayal, Meher Engineer, Sandeep Pandey etc.

VANDANA SHIVA to release the appeal in New Delhi: India Gate, Sunday May 20th, 2012 at 6 pm.
BINAYAK SEN, ANAND PATWARDHAN to release the appeal in Mumbai: Chaityabhoomi, Dadar, Mumbai, Sunday May 20th, 2012 at 6:30 pm.

On the occasion of our Parliament, the pinnacle of democratic governance, celebrating its 60th anniversary, our hard earned democracy is being ruthlessly repressed and violently suppressed.  Within the accelerated race towards ‘destructive development’ and the generation of nuclear power to fuel such ‘development,’ entirely apeaceful mass protests voicing people’s legitimate dissent are brutally put down.  The common man, woman and child are unheard. In utter desperation, people in Koodankulam have surrendered their ‘Voter ID cards,’ the ultimate symbol of ‘people’s power,’ which is the essence of any genuine democracy. Can there be a more ominous way to dissent?

Much like the recent anti-corruption upsurge, various actions for social, gender and cological justice and other struggles in various parts of the country to safeguard people’s rights for their lives, dignity, resources, and livelihoods, the people’s movement in Koodankulam demanding a safe future is facing callous repression from the government and continued apathy. Disappointingly, our mainstream media also persists in under-reporting this genuinely popular movement.

People in Idinthakarai village had to end their 14-day long fast this week. It is appalling that nobody from the Tamil Nadu, or Central Government came to speak to them, and that police strength in the area has been intensified, with every possible intimidating tactic –including taking away the food ration cards of agitating villagers.

We appeal to you in a state of urgency and desperation.

The debate on India’s energy future is far from settled.  We will need broader consensus and greater persuasion to ensure that India opts for the safest, most sustainable people-centric energy future.

The reactor project in Koodankulam perpetrates too many unacceptable violations of norms and procedures. The agitating people are peacefully and persistently trying to raise several important questions – both  site-specific and generic with regard to nuclear power – through all possible forums. Many independent experts and scientists have already emphasized the various dangers of going ahead with the Koodankulam reactors.

At this critical juncture, we urge that realizing a wider consultation is necessary before continuing the large-scale nuclear expansion that this government is already deeply engaged in.

We entreat you to demand that the government immediately stop intimidating and harassing peaceful protesters.

It is imperative that we immediately unite by raising our voices to defend democracy and the ethos of our country.  Unacceptable precedents like the outright repression and silencing of the Koodankulam people’s movement will have adverse implications for all future individual and collective struggles.

With best regards,

1.         Prashant Bhushan

2.         Vandana Shiva

3.         Partha Chatterjee

4.         Admiral L. Ramdas

5.         Lalita Ramdas

6.         Surendra Gadekar

7.         Sanghamitra Gadekar

8.         Narayan Desai

9.         Anand Patwardhan

10.       M G Devasahayam

11.       Gnani Sankaran

12.       Achin vanaik

13.       Suvrat Raju

14.       Saraswati Kavula

15.       G Sundar Rajan

16.       Adil Ali

17.       Gabriele Detrech

18.       Ramesh Radhakrishnan

19.       R R Srinivasan

20.       Sudhir Vombatkere

21.       Jatin Desai

22.       Sukla Sen

23.       Vivek Sundara

24.       Ram Puniyani

25.       Shabnam Hashmi

26.       John Dayal

27.       EAS Sharma

28.       Malem Ningthouja Chairperson, Campaign for Peace & Democracy (Manipur)

29.       Aruna Rodrigues

30.       Pushpa Mitra Bhargava

31.       Nagesh Hegde

32.       Sudha S

33.       Meher Engineer

34.       Arati Chokshi

35.       Ujjwala Mhatre

36.       Preeti Sampat

37.       Kabir Khan

38.       G R Vora

39.       Harsh Kapoor

40.       Shri Prakash

41.       Praful Bidwai

42.       Chandra Bhushan Chaudhary

43.       Gowru Chinappa

44.       A K Ramakrishnan

45.       Gita Hariharan

46.       Kavita Krishnan

47.       Indira Chakravarthi

48.       Sajeer Abdul Rahman

49.       Anivar Aravind

50.       Asit Das

51.       Priyamvada Gopal

52.       Aflatoon

53.       Kamayani Bali Mahabal

54.       Shankar Sharma

55.       Karuna Raina

56.       Xavier Dias

57.       Nayana Patel

58.       Stan Swamy

59.       Rajeev Bhargav

60.       Ilina Sen

61.       Soumya Dutta

62.       Vivek Monteiro

63.       Madhura Chakraborty

64.       Shonali Sardesai, Senior Social Scientist, World Bank

65.       Jaya Seal Ghosh, Actress

66.       Nirupa Bhanger, Executive Director, The Anchorage

67.       Vijay Bhangar, ITT Bombay

68.       Sandeep pandey

69.       Neeraj Jain

70.       Nivedita Menon (JNU Delhi)

71.       Aditya Nigam (CSDS, Delhi)

72.       Binayak Sen

73.       Wilfred Dcosta, Indian Social Action Forum (INSAF)

74.       Chitranjan Singh, PUCL

75.       Prem P. Verma. Convenor, Jharkhand Alternative Development Forum, Ranchi, Jharkhand

76.       M. Thimma Reddy, People’s Monitoring Group on Electricity Regulation, Hyderabad

77.       Dr Tushar Chakraborty, Priicipal Scientist, CSIR, Kolkata

78.       B R Bawake, Chairperson, Lal Nishan Party (Leninist)

79.       Bhimrao Bansod, General Secretary, Lal Nishan Party (Leninist)

80.       B J Kerkar, Lal Nishan Party (Leninist)

81.       Ajit – Member,Editorial Board, Monthly Lal Nishan Leninwadi

82.       Com. Uddhav Shinde, Maharashtra Rajya Sarva Shramik Mahasangh

83.       Uday Bhat, Maharashtra Rajya Sarva Shramik Mahasangh

84.       Vijay Kulkarni, Maharashtra Rajya Sarva Shramik Mahasangh

85.       Atul Dighe, Maharashtra Rajya Sarva Shramik Mahasangh

86.       Medha Thatte, Maharashtra Rajya Sarva Shramik Mahasangh

87.       Mukta Manohar, Maharashtra Rajya Sarva Shramik Mahasangh

88.       Vikas Alawani, Maharashtra Rajya Sarva Shramik Mahasangh

89.       Jeevan Surade, Maharashtra Rajya Sarva Shramik Mahasangh

90.       Subhash Kakuste, Maharashtra Rajya Sakhar Kamgar Mahasangh

91.       Anand Waikar, Maharashtra Rajya Sakhar Kamgar Mahasangh

92.       R. R. Shevale, Maharashtra Rajya Sakhar Kamgar Mahasangh

93.       P K Mudhe, Maharashtra Rajya Sakhar Kamgar Mahasangh

94.       Rajendra Bawake, Maharashtra Rajya Kashtakari Shetkari Mahasangh

95.       Balasaheb Surade, Maharashtra Rajya Kashtakari Shetkari Mahasangh

96.       Subhash Kakuste, Maharashtra Rajya Kashtakari Shetkari Mahasangh

97.       Harishchandra Sonawane, Maharashtra Rajya Dharangrasta ani Prakalpagrasta Sanghatana and Maharashtra Rajya Shetmajur Sanghatana

98.       Sandu Jadhav, Maharashtra Rajya Dharangrasta ani Prakalpagrasta Sanghatana and Maharashtra Rajya Shetmajur Sanghatana

99.       Madhav Sahasrabudhe, Pune

100.     Sujit Patwardhan, Pune

101.     Jyoti Punwani

102.     Anand Bala

103.     Adulan

104.     S.Suresh Kumar

105.     J.Kennedy,Advocate

106.     Suma Josson

107.     Manasi Pimple

108.     Prafulla Samantra

109.     Probal Dasgupta

110.     Abhayraj Naik

111.     Dipankar Chakrabarti (editor,aneek)

112.     Nityanand Jayaraman, Writer, Chennai

113.     Paramjeet Singh, Secretary, People’s Union for Democratic Rights, Delhi

114.     H.M. Desarda

115.     Krishnakant, NAPM, Gujarat

116.     Nishchay Mhatre, Pune

117.     Dunu Roy

118.     Babu Rao Kalapala

119.     Thomas Kocherry

120.     Mary Mathai

121.     Mahtab Alam, Civil Rights Activist and Independent Journalist , New Delhi

122.     Debaprasad Roychowdhury, General Secretary, APDR

123.     Bhuvi Gupta

124.     Sudipta Paul, ADHIKAR, Asansol

125.     Dyuti Ailawadi

126.     Partha Sen

127.     Katheeja Talha

128.     R. Ashok Kumar

129.     Rachna Dhingra & Satinath Sarangi, Bhopal Group for Information & Action

130.     Rashida Bee, Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Stationery Karmchari Sangh

131.     Balkrishna Namdeo, Bhopal Gas Peedit Nirashrit Pension Bhogi Sangharsh Morcha

132.     Nawab Khan, Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Purush sangharsh Morcha

133.     Safreen Khan, Children Against Dow Carbide

134.     Shiraz Bulsara Prabhu, Kashtakari Sanghatana, District Thane, Maharashtra.

135.     Amitadyuti Kumar, Vice President, APDR, Kolkata

136.     Partho Sarothi Ray

137.     Rabin Chakraborty

138.     Gautam Bandyopadhyay, Nadi Ghati Morcha, Chhattisgarh

139.     Sirisha Naidu

140.     N. Jayaram, Journalist and translator, Bangalore

141.     Geeta Seshu

142.     Sashank Rajwadi

143.     Nirmalkumar Jhangiani

144.     Aruna Roy

145.     Madhu Bhaduri

146.     Sunil, Samajwadi Jan Parishad

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