Khasi Students' Union today criticised Union Minister for Science and Technology and Earth Sciences Prithviraj Chavan for his statement in Lok Sabha claiming that majority of people in Meghalaya supported uranium mining in the state.
Terming his statement as "misleading and unfair", KSU general secretary Hamletson Dohling said, "It is an attempt to mislead the people. The statement is far from the truth."
Chavan, on Wednesday had told Lok Sabha that "Department of Atomic Energy and Uranium Corporation of India Limted have for the last five years been regularly conducting awareness programmes to clear the misconceptions regarding uranium mining in West Khasi Hills district. This has resulted in a large majority of people to support the project although there is still some opposition towards it."
"The minister should speak the truth. Majority of people are against uranium mining," Dohling said.
He said a public hearing conducted on the issue two years back has "established that the majority of people are opposed to uranium mining."
"Such statements by a minister who had not visited the state affect the sentiments of the people," KSU leader said.
Under pressure from various agitating organisations led by KSU, Meghalaya government had earlier this month put on hold UCIL's pre-mining developmental works.
