“Vendaam vendaam anushankti vendam” says India on Bapu’s Birthday Bash

“Delhi/Anti-Nuclear Rally” was organized on October 1 and 2, 2009 in New Delhi. Around 100 people had come from states such as Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Orissa, Jharkhand, Meghalaya, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir. Scores of people from Delhi including the members of “Indian Youth Climate Network” also participated in the program.

October 1, 2009

On October 1, 2009, a National Seminar on “Nuclear Threats to India’s Children and Their Futures” was organized at the Indian Social Institute (ISI). The event began with Tamil and Oriya songs.
The coordinator of National Alliance For Anti-Nuclear Movement(NAAM) Dr. S. P. Udayakumar welcomed the seminar participants and spoke in detail about the status of Nuclear Energy in India and quoted examples of eminent personalities in the U.S. and Germany opposing the adoption of nuclear power as a source of energy. Next, the stage was graced by Dr. Gopal Krishna who stripped the Department Of Atomic Energy(DAE) naked in his address ,talking about the chicanery of DAE, he elaborated upon the vast target-achievement gap of the DAE, calling it a fraud and “an organization that is prone to lie”. For example in 1984, the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) had a dream of generating 10,000 MW of electricity by the year 2000. It’s 2009 and India still produces only somewhat more than 4000MW. He expressed his despair over Nuclear energy being a sustainable source of energy. His views were complemented by many a speakers who spoke after him. Prof. Achin Vanaik emphasized on the mad rush by third world countries for nuclear power pointing in particular to India and China. With his emphatic stride, he was instrumental to flint a debate over the extreme emphasis of third world countries on nuclear energy which remained the topic of discussion for quite some time to follow. He vehemently deprecated the stand of Government of India (GOI) which endorses Nuclear Power as a climate solution. The speakers which followed the discussion seemed particularly infuriated over GOI’S covertness towards renewable sources of energy. Professor Banwarilal Sharma went on to say “The Government Of India is not representing the people of India instead it’s a representation of monetary superpowers”. He carried an economic analysis of nuclear power verses thermal power and concluded nuke power to be available at Rs. 19 per unit as compared to Rs. 2 per unit for thermal power. The discussion gave birth to many innovative ideas contributing to an alternate option of energy resources available to India, these included usage of biogas owing to the large amount of agricultural waste produced by us.
Mr. Samuel Jyrwa, President of Khasi Student Union, Meghalaya talked in length about the ill effects of uranium mining in their state and its repercussions as well as it’s immediate effects on the people of Meghalaya. He also threw light on the grave dangers of nuclear power plants which are to be set up in the country for which excessive mining has been carried out in their homeland.
Mr. Sukla Sen from Coalition For Nuclear Disarmament And Peace(CNDP) drew a connection between nuclear power and nuclear proliferation, asserting clearly that nuclear power will serve as a gateway for nuclear armament especially in the third world countries. Saraswati Kavula, an activist from Movement Against Uranium Projects(MAUP) extended her support to this as she shared her experiences relating to Nuclear developments in Andhra Pradesh. Hazards of nuclear radiations were put to focus by a group of doctors from Punjab who enlightened the audience regarding the fatal consequences of radiations caused due to nuclear power plants. Eminent speakers like Professor Praful Bidwai graced the stage following the address of activists from MAUP,CNDP and MAPM which was followed by an interactive question- answer session. The concluding dialogue was delivered by Mr. Neeraj Jain who briefed everyone about NAAM’S future plans and strategies. The event was concluded with thanksgiving remarks by Mr. S. P. Udayakumar.

Rendezvous with an Anti-Nuclear Activist

Saraswati Kavula is an Anti-nuclear activist from Movement against Uranium Projects (MAUP), Andhra Pradesh which enjoys the support of Human Rights Forum (HRF), National Alliance For People’s Movement (NAPM), and National Alliance of Anti-Nuclear Movements (NAAM).She has been actively opposing nuclear developments in Andhra Pradesh for over a decade.


Question (Vinayak). What is the situation in Andhra Pradesh (A.P.) related to “Nuclear” developments?

Answer (Saraswati)- The situation is scary. In A.P.the plan is to build Nuclear reactors in districts of Nalagunda, Kadappa, Shikakulam and Vishakhapatnam (near BHABHA ATOMIC RESEARCH CENTRE). All these plants are planned within a radius of 100km. We have opposed the construction of these plants with the support of people from HRF and NAPM. In spite of our efforts the government has remained unperturbed. Everyone knows how harmful nuclear waste is, even the government knows that. What do you think, don’t they know about the alternate sources of energy. Everyone knows, but that is not in the interest of the big money holder’s they work for. No one in this world can dispose off nuke waste in a safe manner yet they are propagating it. “I don’t know where they want to take this country!”


Question: What do you think of the politicians’ stand on Nuclear Power debate especially in A.P.?

Answer: The political stand has always wavered. For example when YS Rajasekhar Reddy(Y.S.R. Reddy) was the leader of opposition in A.P. he opposed uranium mining in Nalagunda but when he came to power, he vehemently supported the construction of a nuclear power plant in Kadappa.



Question: Many hydel-power projects have been established in A.P. as well. Are you supportive of them?

Answer: Rivers like Krishna and Godavari are sinking because of dams. Do you know by building these days, silt from rivers is not coming down as a consequence of which deltas are sinking. These large hydel projects require huge capital, vast areas of cultivable land are wasted and millions of people are displaced. High dams are not sustainable. We are simply disturbing the nature by building them. It’s utter madness.


Question: How do you think we can meet our growing energy needs?

Answer:-Why do you need so much energy? For whom is this energy required? For big corporates or the common man. The poor man does not want so much energy. His first need is food and water. It is just the rich elite class which is craving for energy.

I am much happy living in a mud house living a happy and healthy life. As far as alternate solutions go we can use solar energy. India has got such vast potential for solar, why not manifest on that. Even countries like Germany are going for it then why can’t we do it.

Far

Sometimes I wish to fight
and I do
Sometimes I wish to shout
and i do
Sometimes I wish to share
and I do
Sometimes I wish to confess
and I do
Sometimes I have to hide
and I try
For all the wrongs I do
I wish to blame her
For everything out of place
I rebuke her
For everything contemptuous I do
I call her despicable
I don't have her
and shall have never
But I want to blame her
I want to fight
I want to shout
Because when I don't
she gets far,really far.

Random Trysts

When random thoughts grow out of proportion
When random colours levitate in distortion
When my orange kite sways
solitary under a thin scarlett sky
loses identity as it gets high
When my emotions float and are caught
bt someone dear
I sense joy lurking somewhere near
Random shadows collide and interfere
And with sarcasm they fill the air
They shout,they laugh,they scintillate
Ironically never they resonate
Random talks,random games
frivolously initiated stratergised blames
It chokes me then
they speak when
I tighten my fist and end up with a smirk
it pleasures them then to see me irk
Random trysts these are
and random shall thet remain
unless of course
I risk one again

Swain

In a dream where I have no voice
In my own eyes I search for something gone
I now wish to be a kid again
and dance hassle free in the rain
Let go of expectations fetching pain
Let me run wild under my azzure sky
and with all my strength break this worldly chain
I can stand no longer those satins
kins of mine
staring me in disdain
Let live the the lad who lives inside
Yes,I know the ground has dried
there is no air and I do fright.
But do what I may
there is sorrow in store to fill up my day.
Emphatic are they
and weak am I
I take their blows without a sigh
Aspirations and sadism juxtapose
Me and them
and insolent voices echo
Witness O! witness the smirk/smile
Behold the twinkle in the eye,now filled with pain
Aah! I know you can not
The face is long gone,dead is the swain

November Rain

I looked at the moon so incomplete
so very stranded in Gibbous phase
It rushes back her memories,I grope for her face
although never lost,just obsolete
In my balcony with my coffee cup hot
I saw someone amidst the mist,tough to spot
Then I heard a laugh,a voice so shrill
I knew that laugh,it prickled me
She laughed again.yes it was she.
He held her by her waist,fondled her breasts
Gasps grew louder indicating unrest
Another laughter,at something he did hiss
This time he silenced her,but only with a kiss
She held his hand like she had once held mine
Brocken in bits,I deciced to resign
Curosity pulled me back in the night
To see what should've remained unseen;a dreadful sight

Two Monsoons

Behold my lover,for whom I crave
Oh! hold these moments,this sparkle I chase
her glowing eternal duo I gaze
Let slip in those memories,enigmatic which amaze
The locks which had unlocked secrets before
dark and deep,knocked at my door
It was a moonlit night,followed by some rain
naive,gullible,somewhat insane
the lover in me asked for pain
With hands unified and souls annealed
The stillness of moon all over my face
and ever thudding heart beats generated rapid pace
Frivolously teasing trees used to sway
As I drew her incomplete,time swept away
Solitary dancing sessions witnessed concrete walls
and on them were thrown shadows growing long and long
Just for a dance partner a shadow did long
First monsoon then spring and now came autumn
Moistened my lashes and dried up rain
A story untold as I thought was recited again
She chose the path more travelled by
Shaken yet firm pretending to be proud
I saw her disappear in the crowd

Parallel Worlds

Yesternight it rained and a storm quietly followed
Several worlds came crashing down and mine alone was swallowed
Heavy lightening demonstrated it's might
Thunderbolts presided over,almost the entire night
I felt so weak,so impotent
My very own self was disgusted at my sight
Kins of mine,prayed and prayed
But yet again,as it had to be
Words miserably failed
Frustrations grew as things turned severe
My insides lurched at every single death
Hoping against hope,I fought my despair
The act was confronted the very same night
The brave populace gave in a fight
The ones who taught of peace,
sharpened their knives and hummed a tune
consoling people,
promising a life,better after death

The Sacred Dagger

As I lie on my bed
a single thought runs through my mind
Something she once asked me
which went unanswered
'Have I changed'?
"No you have not,
probably,you have"
Do I know?
Did I ever know?
Consumed by this thought,
I fell asleep.
Now I wait for her,
thinking deep.
Who do you think of,in our hour long conversation?
Why is there so much consternation.
What story are you going to concoct next?
Chicanery is what I expect.
Am I being lured into some bloody bait;
Or is it a part of the game,
This forlorn wait.
When I have my answers,
I shall move forth
Only into darkness,into wilderness
into further loneliness.
Then I hear your footsteps,prancing towards me
Elated I am,now happy and glee
As you move close,I study that spasm on your face
I observe those breasts,rising and falling
now loosing pace.
I flung open my arms to get my due,

15 Minuites And 1 Second

Silence is what we talk amidst,
And then silence prevails.
This silence is what i want to feel,
Unattended wounds that her touch can heal.
Words follow, but miserably fail
And in my coffin i sense the final nail.
I struggle for thoughts,for words,for movements
While the other end lies unperturbed.
Silence fills the gap between my pain
It's been long,i've been longing in vain
Are you the same i once knew
Or an imposter in this world of self
Inactivity takes over, and my answer remains due.
Amused at such rigidity of heart
Solitary i suffocate and smart
Break 'o' break open these shackles-I confront
Yet she remains completely inert.
What follows then is silence
Silence prevails.................