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Anti-nuclear protesters march in Indian capital
Associated Press - March 25, 2011
New Delhi – About 100 protesters marched to India's Parliament on Friday demanding that the government give up plans to build a large number of nuclear power plants because of safety issues underscored by Japan's nuclear crisis.
"The choice is clear – no nuclear," chanted the protesters from the Anti-Nuclear Struggles Solidarity Forum, a coalition of more than a dozen groups.
They said radiation leaks at a Japanese nuclear complex hit by an earthquake and tsunami showed it was a dangerous form of energy generation. The protest ended peacefully after the group marched through parts of the capital.
For decades India was forced into nuclear isolation as it pursued nuclear weapons as part of an arms race with neighboring Pakistan. India still refuses to sign the nuclear nonproliferation treaty, but the United States passed legislation in 2008 ending a ban on civilian nuclear trade with India.
Since then, several foreign governments have been courting India to get a piece of its lucrative nuclear energy market.
In December, India and France signed a multibillion-dollar agreement for construction of two nuclear power plants – the first of 20 India wants to build to meet its soaring energy needs.
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