“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.

At 3:00 PM a Press Meet was conducted at the Indian Women’s Press Corp, New Delhi. Samuel Jyrwa, Saraswati Kavula, Sukla Sen, Neeraj Jain, Gabrielle Dietrich and S. P. Udayakumar addressed the media persons.
After that Sukla Sen, Neeraj Jain, Gabrielle Dietrich and S. P. Udayakumar went to the Rashtrapathi Haven and submitted a memorandum to the President. The memorandum pointed out the dangers involved in setting up uranium mines and nuclear power plants all over the country and exhorted the President to intervene in the matter and to direct the UPA government not to proceed with the dangerous nuclear plans.

At 8 PM, Garhwal Bhawan, all the “Delhi Rally” participants had a strategy meeting discussing the various activities that they could undertake under the auspices of NAAM.

October 2, 2009
Mahatma Gandhi’s birthday was celebrated in its true spirit; on the 2nd of October activists from MAUP, NAPM, CNDP, KSU and various other organizations including members of Indian Youth Climate Network (IYCN) practiced Ahimsic Satyagraha against GOI’s lethal nuclear policies. The participants went to Rajghat accompanied by . Mr. Bernie Meyer, known as the American Gandhi. At the Gandhi Samadhi, the NAAM activists surrounded the Gandhi look-alike Mr. Meyer and wailed and cried about the UPA government’s nuclear policies, projects and programs. The activists complained loudly that the nuclear policies and programs of the government would hurt, harm and kill our people, especially our children and their descendants. As the wailing and crying went on, the visitors and the presspersons present at Rajghat gathered around them and enquired about the campaign. Handbills were distributed to the visitors and people were encouraged to abet the cause.
The “Delhi Rally” started from Samta Sthal and people marched along the highway, walked nearly 5-6 kilometers under scorching sun to Jantar Mantar distributing both English and Hindi handbills to the bystanders and motorists. The marchers were also singing, shouting slogans and making short speeches. A marvelous depiction of secularism was observed as people from all over the country echoed an alien tongue for a common cause, it was heartening to see people from Meghalaya, Delhi, Rajasthan, U.P. chanting “vendaam vendaam anushakti vendaam” in Tamil and people from the southern part of the country engaging in folk songs from the north east. Such unity in diversity seemed transcendental.At Jantar Mantar, activists sang songs and danced to the music. Several activists including Prem Verma, Bernie Meyer, Anil Choudhary, Dr. Krishnaswamy, Achin Vanaik, Samuel Jyrwa, Saraswati Kavula and others gave brief speeches. From there the participants proceeded to Teen Murti.
Stand Up together for enabling peace (STEP) had arranged a cultural performance at the Teen Murti auditorium. After enjoying some fantastic performances, they left for Garhwal Bhawan and passed the “Charter of Demands” of the “Delhi Rally and with this the “Delhi Rally” came to a close.