Date:18/03/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/03/18/stories/2008031860781200.htm

National

Kozhikode students call off stir

Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI: After getting an assurance from Communist Party of India national secretary D. Raja that their protest against the India-U.S. civilian nuclear deal would be raised at a political platform, six students from Kerala called off their eight-day-old hunger strike at the Jantar Mantar here on Monday.

Mr. Raja appealed to the students, hailing from Kozhikode, to reconsider their decision to continue their hunger strike as the political parties were seized of the matter and would discuss it with the UPA government.

Twelve students accompanied by a faculty member under the auspices of “Students Against Nuclear Power” had launched their protest last Monday against the deal.

Offering juice to six students, including three girls, Mr. Raja said the matter would be discussed at the UPA-Left meeting later in the day. “I congratulate you for showing your strong commitment to the issue of nuclear deal. The Left has been opposing the deal. We have been fighting with the UPA government not to operationalise the deal. Since the Left and other parties have taken up the matter, I earnestly appeal you to reconsider your decision to continue the strike,” he told the youngsters.

“You give up the fast and leave it to the political leadership of the country to discuss the issue. There has been no change in the position of the Left and we have been consistent in our opposition to the 123 agreement. If the UPA will go ahead with this deal, it will have to pay a high political price,” Mr. Raja added.

The CPI leader told the students that they need not torture themselves and should go back to Kerala with a “sense of achievement” as they had managed to project this issue.

“We are not just against the nuclear deal but also against India opting for nuclear power because of the harmful effects it bears not only for the present generation, but also for the future generations,” a member of the group said.

“We feel satisfied today. We came here to let the government know our demands,” said Kripa Varier, a student, adding that the group would leave for their hometown on Tuesday.