Kudankulam row: Govt not sure if NGOs used foreign money

Contrary to what it said earlier, the government on Thursday refused to validate if foreign funds were used to fuel anti-nuclear protests in Tamil Nadu's Kudankulam.

Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office V Narayanasamy on March 22 told Rajya Sabha that it has not been proved so far whether NGOs had used foreign money for the protests.

He only acknowledged that the NGOs protesting were mostly those getting funds from abroad.

According to reports, Narayanasamy also refused to identify the NGOs which were under investigation.

Only after the probe is complete, details would be brought to the public, he said.

"Detailed investigation will reveal the source of funding and the expenditure pattern of these NGOs, that are opposing the Kudankulam nuclear power project," PTI quoted him saying.

He added: "CBI inquiry against two NGOs have been ordered. Two criminal cases have been referred to Tamil Nadu police for investigation."

During an interview to an American journal last month, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh blamed US-based NGOs for fuelling protests against the nuclear power plant in Tamil Nadu.

"The atomic energy programme has got into difficulties because these NGOs mostly, I think, based in the US, don't appreciate the need for our country to increase energy. The local NGO-led protests have stalled the commissioning of two 1000 mw nuclear reactors," Singh said.

Weeks after the Prime Minister's statement, bank accounts of four NGOs were blocked for allegedly diverting funds to fuel anti-KNPP protests. The Catholic Church's Tuticorin Diocese Association (TDA) was among the NGOs that lost its license.

The Catholic Church strongly criticised the move and said the government was misleading the nation giving an impression that the Church was against the national and public interest.

Meanwhile, the work in the plant resumed last week after getting the nod from Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa.

Prohibitory orders have been enforced in Radhapuram Taluk where the plant is located. Security in and around the plant has also been stepped up.