Tirunelveli: Idinthakarai, the epicenter of anti-nuclear activism could be a potential launch pad for the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)in Tamil Nadu, as one of founders and the party’s political affairs committee chairman Prashant Bhushan invited S P Udayakumar, coordinator of the People’s Movement Against Nuclear Energy (PMANE) at Idinthakarai to lead the party in Tamil Nadu.
Prashant Bhushan showered encomiums on Dr S P Udayakumar, but the latter responded only with a mystic smile which was interpreted by one of his supporters on the stage as an acceptance of the invitation. Bhushan added, ‘My salute to the brave people of Idinthakarai who have been fighting a valiant battle against the inhuman and anti-people nuclear power project.’
The senior Supreme Court lawyer added that the KKNPP project was being implemented, not in national interest but for kickbacks.
He assured to do away with the KKNPP if the people stood by the AAP that aims at empowering ordinary people like the people at Idinthakarai to decide projects for themselves.
‘The AAP victory in Delhi is the beginning of a political revolution. Our party aims at empowering ordinary people to have the right of choice. When this succeeds, you, the ordinary people will be able to decide whether the KKNPP should be built or dismantled.’
When Udayakumar translated this, people expressed their joy with thunderous applause. Bhushan also recalled his and Arvind Kejriwal’s visit to Idinthakarai a year ago.
Soon, a native of Idinthakarai stood up and expressed willingness to enrol himself as a member of the AAP.
When Bhushan got down from the stage, women surrounded him and said that they pinned their hopes on Arvind Kejriwal and the AAP to fight for the people against KKNPP.
Prashant Bhushan’s visit to Kerala, missing the 'historic day’ when his party formed a government in Delhi on Saturday, to receive an award instituted in memory of an eminent lawyer and CPI(M) leader, Pirappanacode Sreedharan Nair from CPI(M) stalwart and Kerala opposition leader V S Achuthanandan, who is also against the KKNPP and his meeting the following day, with Udayakumar at Idinthakarai, assumes importance, according to a PMANE leader.
