September 16, 2012 13:48 IST, rediff.com

“I meet him once every month. Since the past few months it has been
like that. I would go to Idinthakarai with my two sons and meet him. I
have commitments here. My mother is sick. Things are not easy. People
at home are upset. I find myself responsible for two sets of parents.

“A week ago, he called me urgently. I went with children to
Idinthakarai. He said something bad was coming. He was certain he was
going to be arrested. There were first information reports against
him. He said he will surrender to the police as it will be good for
everyone. If he surrendered to the police, they will stop harassing
people.

“I was shocked. What will happen if he gets arrested? My children were
worried for his life. My younger son, who is 12-year old, asked me if
he would ever come back after he was arrested. My elder son, who is
two years older, asked if his father would be beaten.

“People told me that I was naive. They said that what they wanted was
that no one should ask questions and the plant should go on. The day
he decided to get a court arrest, he said it was the ground reality
that was forcing him to do so and that I should explain it to the
children. He spoke to them, too.

“Arvind Kejriwal came on Tuesday night at 10 pm. People had by then
taken him away so that he won’t surrender. Kejriwal said it was
decided that he will not surrender.

“Now things have changed. It is very scary. I have no idea for how
long would he remain underground. He has no idea either.

“Kejriwal said the intention of the state is to bring everything to an
end. That is, if he is separated from people, all will come to an end.
The movement would be finished.

“But, that is wishful thinking. It is too simplistic. It will only
intensify feelings. He has to worry about it, too.  He was training
people for a peaceful protest.

“There are FIRs against me, too, under three sections for unlawful
assembly. On Saturday, the police came here, about 25 of them and gave
me summons asking me to appear in the court.

“It all started a year ago. We were getting ready for school when we
got a call. It was the day after the hot run. (The Russianp-designed
Kudankulam nuclear plant conducted the hot run — testing various
equipments in the plant with dummy fuel — in August last year).
Anxious people gathered outside the church and he had to go.

“Everything changed after that. They branded him a Naxal. Then, they
said he was getting money from foreign countries for this struggle.
All that has been proved false. He never got any money from anybody.

“We run this school, where 90 per cent of students are first
generation learners. Yes, they know what is happening around them.
They watch TV. On Saturday, a four-year old came to me and asked me
about him.

“My children want him to come back. I want him back. I want him to
come out and pick up his life from where he left it. I know that would
happen.

“The government will realise we can do without nuclear energy. All
will understand the fact that this energy is not what we want.
“I remain positive always. I am sure there is a stronger force up
there. This whole thing was led, despite obstacles, not because of one
person but a collective spiritual power, whatever is leading this
universe. There will be an end. A win-win solution will be there. I
believe it. Idinthakarai wants alternative energy policy. They are
lobbying for altrernative policy for the whole country. The government
will be there for the people. They are people, too. They are not bad
people. I hope that people will see a reason in having a safer
alternative.”

– Sreelatha Menon