Anti-KNPP stir 'sponsored' from outside, alleges Russia

Russia on Thursday said the protests against the Kudankulam nuclear power plant were ‘sponsored’ and the Non-Governmental Organisations from outside were ‘feeding’ the organisations which are spearheading the stir.

"I think these (protests) are sponsored. They work in such a way that when money ends they stop and when they get another portion of money they resume their protests," Alexander M Kadakin, Russian Ambassador to India, said here on the protest against the nuclear project in Tamil Nadu which is being assisted by his country.

"Yes, there are NGOs from outside who are feeding those protest organisation. India is a democratic country, people are free to protest if they feel some danger is coming," he added.

Stressing that the Russian nuclear reactors, which would were being installed at Kudankulam nuclear plant, were safe, Kadakin said ‘it is the safest nuclear unit in the world which has been recognised by specialists and scientists in the West and the East’.

Russia is helping India in setting up 9,200 MW Kudankulam nuclear power plant in Tamil Nadu's Tirunelveli district. Construction has been delayed due to anti-nuclear protests by the locals and People's Movement Against Nuclear Energy.

Asked about Indo-Russia defence deals, the Russian Ambassador said that contrary to other countries ‘we give India our best technology’.

He said ‘we are working on nuclear submarine, we are also working on fifth generation aircraft’. On India-Russia relations, he said they were better than ever before.

The Russian embassy on Thursday hosted a function to confer Russian foreign ministry's sign of honour to veteran India diplomats for their contribution to international cooperation.

Three former diplomats M K Rasgotra, Chinmaya Gharekhan and Ronen Sen were honoured today on Russian Diplomatist Day. The Russian Diplomatist Day is celebrated following a Presidential decree in 2002 to commemorate the founding of the Russian Diplomatic service in 1549.