Date:27/07/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/07/27/stories/2008072758400600.htm

Andhra Pradesh

Nuclear deal vital than winning polls: Rahul

AICC general secretary answers volley of questions posed by students on civilian nuclear deal

Says the decision would take the country forward by 30 to 40 years
Major part of technology to come from France, Russia and Japan

Eager to mingle: NSUI State president Vamshichand Reddy helps Rahul Gandhi when he disobeys the SGP to shake hands with students in Hyderabad on Saturday.

HYDERABAD: All-India Congress Committee general secretary Rahul Gandhi has asserted that the Congress party does not really care if it loses the next general elections for the sake of the civilian nuclear deal.

Looking ahead

Strongly pitching for the nuclear agreement with the United States, he said it was essential for transforming the future of the country. “I am going to think of India 50 years from now and do not care for others, he said adding that there was opposition to the agreement out of fear but none had the courage to cite the reasons for opposition.

Mr. Rahul Gandhi spent close to two hours answering questions from students on the nuclear deal at a convention “123 ki pathshala” organised by National Students Union of India (NSUI) at Ravindra Bharati here.

Strongly backing Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for taking a firm step to go ahead with the deal, Mr. Gandhi said the decision would take the country forward by 30 to 40 years. He said that the major part of the nuclear fuel and technology would come from France, Russia and Japan, which were way ahead of the US in using the nuclear energy.

Praising Mr. Singh, he said the former could have compromised on the deal, by going back but he was more concerned about the future of the country. He reiterated that there was no question of giving up the country’s sovereignty for the sake of deal. He said apart from thrust on nuclear energy, the Prime Minister opined that there was need to invest in as many sources of energy as possible.

Allays fears

Mr. Gandhi allayed fears that the US would have a dominant role in inspecting the nuclear installations. He said the deal which the country was about to sign was better than the one signed by China. Emerging out of the meeting, several students said they were bowled over by Mr. Gandhi’s presentation. Pragati and Nataraj of PRR College of Engineering said it was a wonderful experience and a rare opportunity to interact with him. Sehbaa , another student, said though she initially opposed the deal, now she was convinced that it was good for the country.