Report sought on psychiatrists' use to suppress Kudankulam stir

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has sought a report from the home ministry on the government deciding to use psychiatrists to counsel activists opposing the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project (KNPP) in Tamil Nadu, a Right to Information (RTI) query filed by an activist has revealed.

"It is alleged that the union government has decided to use psychiatrists to counsel activists opposing the Kudankulam Nuclear Plant in Tamil Nadu. This appears to be a check on the freedom of speech and expression," the NHRC's Law Division said in a reply to the RTI activist.

The NHRC has also issued notice to the home secretary after receiving a querry from RTI activist Subhash Chandra Agrawal.

NHRC has asked the home ministry to submit the report by July-end.

"Issued notice to the secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, calling for his report, which should reach the Commission latest by July 25. The case shall be taken up at the public hearing at Chennai in the first week of August," the reply from the NHRC added.

Meanwhile, Agrawal said that the union government decision to use psychiatrists to counsel activists and others opposing the Kudankulam Nuclear Plant in Tamil Nadu is "anti-human" and NHRC should take cognizance of the serious issue.

"The move is against Right of Expression as provided in the constitution. There have been many occasions when the government has been able to carry on firmly with its decisions through talks and strategically designed moves if the bitter decisions opposed by activists and others were in larger national interest and perspective. But such brainwashing of people opposing a particular government decision in name of psychiatric approach cannot be held justified in any manner," Agrawal said.

India's atomic power plant operator Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL) is building two 1,000 MW reactors supplied by Russia in Kudankulam in Tirunelveli, around 650 km from Chennai.