Tamil Nadu deports German national for supporting anti-nuclear plant protests

Chennai/New Delhi, Feb 28 (ANI): The Tamil Nadu Government on Tuesday deported a German national, Sonnteg Reiner Hermann, on charges of supporting and funding the anti-nuclear power plant protests in Kundankulam.

Speaking to mediapersons in New Delhi on Tuesday Minister of State in the Prime Minister's office V. Narayanasamy said that the Tamil Nadu police was monitoring Hermann's movement for the past few days. It was learned that he was consistently participating in the anti-nuclear power plant protests.

"I got unconfirmed reports that Herman, who is a German national, and was staying in a small hotel near the Kudankulam nuclear power plant, has been going around for the last 15 days. On suspicion the Tamil Nadu government followed him and ultimately they found that he has been roaming around in that area. The Q branch of Tamil Nadu, they are investigating and allegedly he has been supporting the anti Kudankulam nuclear power plant people. This came to light," said Narayanasamy.

Narayanasamy however refused to comment on whether Hermann extended financial assistance to the supporters.

Recently Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh had said that the anti-nuclear protests are receiving financial support from American NGOs. Narayanasamy added that three of the NGO's, funding the protests, had been closed down.

Anti nuclear activist S. P. Udayakumar later challenged the government to provide proof in support of the allegations that the anti-nuclear protests were being funded by American NGOs.

Established in a joint collaboration between India and Russia, the Kudankulam nuclear power project envisaged to build two 1,000 MW VVER type reactors by the end of December last year.

In the wake of the Fukushima incident, several nuclear projects across India, such as the one at Jaitapur in Maharashtra, have run into rough weather as protesting locals and activists argue that such plants could adversely affect the environment. (ANI)