Centre reacts sharply on PMANE statement

Madurai: The Centre on Monday reacted sharply to the statement by People`s Movement Against Nuclear Energy, leading the protest against Koodankulam Nuclear Power Plant, that it would sue the Prime Minister`s office for linking the stir to foreign funding, saying the government too can hit back at them.

Talking to reporters here, Union Minister of State in the PMO V Narayanasamy said "if S P Udayakumar(heading the PMANE) can file cases against central ministers, government too can hit back at the agitators".

"We also have the right to sue him. Let him be not under any wrong impression. We won`t be cowed down by such threats,", he said.

Stating that government was losing Rs 750 crore a month due to delay in commissioning the KNPP, he said steps to expedite the projects were underway.

Udayakumar had on Feruary 25 said he would sue Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Narayanasamy for their comments on foreign funding.

Singh had in an interview to "Science" journal criticised non-governmental organisations that received support from abroad for leading the protests against the KNPP.