Opinion - Letters to the Editor

Nuclear deal

The article “Emulate America’s bipartisan handling” (June 28) on the Indo-U.S. civil nuclear deal was lucid and informative. There are many specific aspects in the deal that are detrimental to India’s interests. It is important for its proponents to convince the nation of its genuineness. A question that is worrying is: are we so naive that when we are told by American leaders, past and present, including Henry Kissinger, that the deal is in our interests, we go for it without taking into account its merits and drawbacks?

S.J. Thomas,

Tirunelveli

Having failed to address the critical issues of agrarian crisis and spiralling inflation, the UPA government is desperate to sign the 123 nuclear agreement. The Left has been consistent in its opposition to the deal and the allies of the UPA as well the principal opposition party are opposed to it, albeit for different reasons. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s rigid stand on the issue comes as a surprise.

N. Sekar,

Salem

Most of the opposition to the nuclear deal is based on the clause that it will be off if India were to conduct a nuclear test in future. None of the nuclear weapon states is conducting nuclear tests any more because all tests are simulated on computers. There is no need for physical tests.

Scientists and all others who oppose the deal should remember that the slogan of the 1990s “10,000 MWs by 2000” has remained only a slogan due to the nuclear sanctions against India. With Indian coal having an ash content of over 40 per cent and global warming a real threat, India has no option but to conclude the nuclear deal.

S.N. Balakrishnan,

Mumbai

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