Ulterior motive behind Kudankulam stir, says PC

Union Home Minister P Chidambaram has said there was "some ulterior motive" behind continuance of the protest against the nuclear power plant at Kudankulam despite assurance from the government that it is safe.

Addressing Congress workers in Sivaganga on Sunday, he expressed serious concern over the power crisis in Tamil Nadu and asked the state government to take steps to find an early solution to the problem.

On the stir against the Kudankulam plant, he said there was "some ulterior motive" behind continuance of the protest.

Chidambaram said he had asked the previous government also "to take serious steps to resolve power problem".

Maintaining that India wanted to maintain cordial relations with all its neighbouring countries, Chidambaram said the country supported a resolution in UNHRC against Sri Lanka for alleged war crimes "after a serious thinking".

External Affairs Minister S M Krishna had also made a statement on the resolution in Parliament, he said.

India last week voted for the US-sponsored resolution at the UN's top human rights body censuring Sri Lanka for alleged rights violations during the war against LTTE after persuading the resolution-sponsor to make two changes in the draft so that it became "non-intrusive" and contributes to political reconciliation process in the island.

Congress had not betrayed the interests of Tamils in Sri Lanka, he said.