People's Democracy

Sit-In against India-Japan Nuclear Agreement

A SIT-IN was organised on January 25, 2014 by Coalition for Nuclear Disarmament and Peace (CNDP) at Jantar-Mantar in New Delhi against the visit of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, as the chief guest for this year’s Republic Day ceremony on January 26, 2014.  His visit was linked with the proposed finalisation of signing of the India-Japan nuclear agreement, which the two governments have been pushing for a long time. January 25 was declared as the National Day of Protest against the India-Japan Nuclear agreement.  The organisers informed the activists presents in the sit-in that on the same day grassroots anti-nuclear movements in places like Koodankulam, Jaitapur, Fatehabad, Kovvada, Mithi Virdi, and Chutka were also being organised in various protest forms.  The convenor of the programme was Praful Bidwai, Left oriented intellectual along with a young activist Somarajan.  Large number of activists form teachers, scientists, Women’s organisations, trade unions, Jansanskriti besides CPI(M) activists and some CPI leaders participated in the sit-in.

The gathering was addressed by Somarajan, Praful BIdwai, Prakash Karat, general secretary, CPI(M)   and CPI leader Pallab Sengupta.  Karat told the activists that it is ironic that Japan is selling nuclear technology to other countries while the crisis in Fukushima is further deepening.  The agreement will give a push to the Indian government’s insane and anachronistic nuclear expansion drive which it is implementing through brutal repression of its rural poor.  A global nuclear safety report has ranked India 23rd among the 25 countries.  The nuclear regular in India is completely toothless and non-independent, as highlighted by the CAG report last year. He suggested that rather both the countries should focus on jointly pursuing sustainable and green energy solutions.  After Fukushima, a number of countries have shunned their nuclear programs owing to insurmountable risks and inherently unsafe nature of nuclear energy.  He asked the Manmohan Singh led UPA government to desist from signing such an anti-people agreement with Japan. He told the activists that the CPI(M) will always stand against the proliferation of nuclear armaments and will coordinate with the forces having same understanding.