Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology and Ocean Development Kapil Sibal has said that the UPA is committed to the 123 Indo-US Civil Nuclear Agreement.

“The government of India has signed a bilateral agreement with the US and no government worth its salt can renege from it. However, the government is also committed to address the concerns of the Left regarding the 123 Agreement,” Mr Sibal told a press meet here on Tuesday.
He referred to the joint committee which has been set up to examine the implications of the Indo-US nuclear agreement on India's strategic freedom and its indigenous atomic energy programme.
“We want to run the government to full term. If the Left says they don’t want to be in it, it’s for them to decide. We are not violating the coalition dharma nor are we going against the common minimum programme. We are sure to convince them. We cannot re-negotiate the deal,” said the Minister.

He called the Indo-US civil nuclear agreement “historic” and said that for the first time in its history, the global nuclear regime has made exceptions, for India.

“They have allowed us to join the regime without asking us to give up our nuclear policy and signing the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty,” said the minister. He added that the agreement was crucial for India because it will address the country’s burgeoning energy needs.

Electricity needs
“The agreement will give bijli (electricity) to the country’s poor. By 2020 India would need 4,48,000 MW of power and by 2030 it would go up to 8,00,000 MW. We need not use indigenous nuclear reserves which are depleting, for our energy needs. We can use imported nuclear fuel for the purpose,” Mr Sibal said, adding that the 123 Agreement is better than the one US has signed with China.

“India has a right to re-process the nuclear fuel whereas China doesn’t,” he added. When asked about the Atomic Energy Commission chief, Anil Kakodkar’s visit to Vienna to attend a general body meeting of the board of governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Mr Sibal said the details of the outcome of the meeting will be available only with Dr Kakodkar. India is one of the members of the IAEA’s 35-country board of governors.

On the status of the multi-billion-dollar gas pipeline project from Iran via Pakistan, Mr Sibal said the project had nothing to do with the Indo-US nuclear deal. “We support the gas pipeline project provided we get it,” he said.

ON RAMAR SETHU...
‘No evidence Rama existed’
On the issue of the Ramar Sethu,  Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology and Ocean Development Kapil Sibal has said there’s no scientific evidence of a man-made bridge.

“I believe in Lord Rama, but there’s no scientific evidence regarding the existence of Ramar Sethu,” he said.
He added that if Lord Rama were alive, he would have probably, in the interest of people, allowed the Sethusamudram project, to help million of lives.

“Why should we take the opinion of those people who fight elections in the name of Rama but do not follow his ideology?” Mr Sibal said, in an obvious reference to the Sangh parivar outfits which are opposing the project.