is totally disgusting. She likes LEFT well and fine. But she does not understand economics or reforms or privatization etc. She does not know that the big issue of nuclear energy is now settled. So also a lot of other reforms which were held up due to the obduracy of LEFT. For the LEFT to be meaningful in this new globalized world they have to pick on issues like how poor people are mistreated, to ensure that poor people get social protection. Instead of that harping on socialism a failed form of governance, on prevention of FDI, prevention of technology flow from west, prevention of industrialization etc will not help. They should learn from their Chinese brothers. India needs FDI, money, technology, industrialization and of course nuclear energy. We cannot depend on the view point of people like Sheela Bhatt, Karat, Arundhati Roy, Medha Patkar etc.
RE:Sheela Bhatt
by tka on Jul 23, 2008 01:09 PM Permalink
Girish, I accept everything that you mention on the issues, however beg to differ on the nuclear deal. - our nuclear power share will go up from 2.5% to only about 6-7% that too in 2020 and later. - We will pay billions for the technology - The U.S. itself has not commissioned a single reactor in the last 35 years - They are focussing on wind, solar etc. - Interestingly countries like India are the most conducing regions in the world for sources like solar - Solar, wind will most likely be viable by 2020 - India's indeginous thorium breeder is likely to go onstream by 2010. It will take another 4-5 years to commercialize it. Latest by 2020. India has the world's largest resource of thorium. - Though we are a nuclear state, the 123 does not recognize us an equal - China has the right to anytime decide what reactors are civil and what are not, and change that also anytime. - India will not have the above, and our reactors will be in safeguards for pertuity - If there is disruption in supplies, India will have "corrective measure" Nowhere it is specified, what corrective measures. If U.S. decides to put diplomatic presurre later to stop supplying to us, all countries will, while we stare at the billions of dollar worth nuclear assets getting rot. - The deal is silent on our testing rights. - The deal does not clearly delink the 123 from hyde. Frankly, I am not against the deal, but for better negotiations of the term and that is what BJP is asking.
