India said Saturday it had frozen the assets of three non-profit groups it alleges were diverting foreign aid funds to fuel protests against plans to build two atomic power stations. The country's move to construct two giant nuclear power stations in the southern state of Tamil Nadu and one in the western state of Maharashtra has been thrown into disarray following the protests by villagers and activists.
A senior officer at the prime minister's office told AFP that the home ministry had frozen the accounts of three non-government organisations. The move came after a minister in the federal government, V. Narayanasamy on Friday said the three aid groups were getting funds from the United States and Scandinavian countries that were being used for anti-nuclear protests.
"These NGOs were receiving funds from foreign countries for social service causes like helping the physically handicapped and eradication of leprosy but these (funds) were used for anti-nuclear protests," he was quoted by the Press Trust of India news agency as saying. Narayanasamy said three NGOs were violating government guidelines by not using the funds for the causes for which they were receiving money. But the groups denied the government's allegations.
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