Madurai:
Taking on the Centre on the Kudankulam nuclear plant row, senior BJP leader L K Advani on Thursday asked why a decision had not yet been taken on the nuclear plant, even as he said the safety of the people was of primary concern.
Launching the second leg of his 'Jan Chetna Yatra' against corruption and black money from Madurai, he said most countries have re-established their nuclear installations after the Fukushima disaster in Japan, especially those near the sea, from a safety point of view.
"The Kudankulam power plant is also located near the sea. Commercial considerations or the fact that the contract has been accepted should not override the safety of the people," Mr Advani said.
His comment came even as locals continued their protests against the controversial Indo-Russian nuclear venture at Kudankulam in Tirunelveli district.
The former Deputy Prime Minister said he has been witness to all general elections from 1952 to 2009 and took a dig at Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, charging his UPA-led government with being immersed in corruption.
"I am sorry to say that no government is more immersed in corruption and no Prime Minister weaker than Manmohan Singh. This government cannot take a decision as its decision-making process is paralysed. This is evident from the fact that it has not taken a decision on Kudankulam issue," he said.
Claiming that his yatra, which started on October 11 from Bihar, has evoked "enormous response", Mr Advani said it was primarily due to his stress on corruption and on getting back black money stashed away in foreign havens.
He claimed Rs 25 lakh crore had been "looted" in the past 40-50 years and kept in foreign countries.
While countries like the US and Germany were determined to retrieve similar monies, India was not showing interest despite new legislation in Switzerland in this regard.
He said when the BJP government tried to retrieve black money they could not do so due to lack of laws in those countries.
He also recalled having written to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh three years back, saying it was the right time then to bring back the black money stashed abroad. "But no effort had been taken," he rued.
"If the Rs 25 lakh crore stashed abroad was brought back and invested in villages for education and infrastructure, that would usher in real prosperity," he said.
He said his yatra, scheduled to cover over 7000 km across 23 states and four Union Territories, not only condemns the Centre, but was also meant to make people compel the government to act against the corrupt on black money.
Criticising the Centre on the Sri Lankan Tamils issue, Mr Advani said while the government had promised construction of 50,000 houses to war distressed Tamils, Foreign Secretary Ranjan Mathai himself had reported slow progress on the issue.
On attacks on Indian fishermen, allegedly by the Sri Lankan Navy, he said fishermen should not be allowed to be targeted by the Navy of another country and urged the Centre to deal with the issue as "one strategically important to the country."
The leader, whose rally was marked by small spells of rain before his address, also visited a small temple adjacent to the stage. He was accompanied by his daughter Prathibha.
Advani's yatra to enter KeralatodayToday, the senior BJP leader will reach Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala, where he will be received by the party state leaders at Aryankavu in Kollam district, sources said.
After the reception, he will drive to the state capital where he will address a public meeting in the evening.
On October 29, he will address the media in the morning and then address road-side meetings in Kottarakkara, Pandalam, Kottayam and Cheerthala while on his way to Kochi, where the day's programme will be wound with a public meeting at Marine Drive in the city.
The next morning he will leave for Bangalore by flight.