I once had a maths teacher who would postulate an entirely new theory if anyone dared pose a question on the anything he would be solving (or trying to atleast!). By the end of it all everyone would be so confused that we would just let go of the original problem. If nothing else, Indian politics can definitely boast of numerous such spin doctors of repute.
The Left%u2019s objection with the whole agreement stems from one crucial factor: India looses its right to conduct tests once they sign on the dotted line. All that the PM has to do is clarify this contentious point. Please don%u2019t take us through a whole lot of jargon. Just answer this. The experts are with you, give them the literature. Give us an answer.
I am not concerned about what the Left spoke or did a decade ago. We should have crucified them then and not now when they have posed a question which from all accounts has created lots of inconvenience for the government. So why don%u2019t our political masters who inked the deal come out with a clear answer. A Yes or No will do.
RE:Tick the right box
by MOHAN PYARE on Aug 20, 2007 07:42 PM Permalink
The issue is not that simple my dear Haridevan. If your question is whether India will have the right to test, answer is simple. Yes, India will have the right. But then after the test, what will happen? Another round of sanctions by USA. That means our reactors (for which the fuel was coming from USA) will go without fuel. We have to be prepared for that. If we are prepared with our own source of fuel by that time, then fine. Go ahead and test. But if we could not find our own source of nuclear fuel, it will be a disaster to go for a nuclear test because the billions of dollars we invested in the nuclear power plant will idle and the industries we set up that depend on the power from these nuclear power plants will starve. So, before going for a test, we have to ensure fuel from indigenous sources. With the advancement of indigenous technology in the next five years or ten years, we will have our own indigenous fuel. If we decide that we do not want American technology now for keeping an option to test (which we may not do in the next ten or twenty years), we will starve from lack of power from today itself. We have to make a choice.
Now the country is in the path of fast industrial growth. For the new industries, we need tremendous amount of power. Every MW of coal based power is adding tremendously to the green house gases and global warming. If you add another 25000MW of coal based thermal power plant to the existing capacity, this country will become unlivable. Till no
RE:Tick the right box
by MOHAN PYARE on Aug 20, 2007 07:46 PM Permalink
Till now, we have only heard of acid rains. We have not witnessed it in India. The sulphur dioxide and trioxide generated by the power plants will result in acid rains. China has already started facing the problem. The only choice available to India is go for Nuclear power plants in a big way.
In France, almost 80% of all the electricity needs are being met through Nuclear power plants. We also have to do it. For that we need the 123 agreement.
If the Marxist party do not want the government to go ahead with the 123 agreement, they should come out with an alternate solution for the huge power requirement of the country.
The sky is not going to fall if the left withdraws support and it leads to mid term polls. If an election leads to better stability at the centre free from blackmail from the left, it is definitely worth going for a mid term poll. When the Vajpayee government was pulled down by Jayalalitha in 1999, it was only one year old. Election followed and it led to stability at the centre. After that Vajpayee government ruled a full term peacefully without blackmail from the lady. Same thing may happen now. Manmohan Singh may get a full term without blackmail from the left.
RE:Tick the right box
by Sankar Mitra on Aug 20, 2007 09:21 PM Permalink
We have tested on two occassions and the gap between the two was 24 years. The last test was in 1998. If there is no abrupt change in our neighbourhood, we may assume that the next test will occur after a gap of 15 years or so. During this 15 years, how much benefit will accrue and what will be the status of India in the internarional arena - these factors are also needed to be analysed. Mind you, America's only interest to give us freedom in the area of civil nuclear energy is to have our friendship to contain China and help US in conflicts with Middle Eastern countries. Whether we are prepared for that - this is big question to be answered. I cannot comment on this with my limited knowledge; but one thing I know and that is, "if you want to get something, you have to give something". There is no free lunch in this world.
