It is true that India’s refusal to join the NPT regime and the subsequent Pokhran tests had invited sanctions from the Nuclear Suppliers Group.
The protagonists of the Indo–US nuclear deal are creating a myth that it was because of this “nuclear isolation” our peaceful nuclear energy programme had failed. However the fact is that the sanctions had just slowed down our programme but it never stopped it.
We could develop all the technologies needed for establishing the complete fuel cycle, including its back end activities like spent fuel reprocessing and plutonium recycle, entirely by indigenous efforts.
If we have not set up large number of nuclear power stations to meet the growing energy demand of the country and if we don’t have enough uranium resources today to fuel our power reactors, it is due to the short sighted policy of the successive governments at the centre in not providing adequate financial support to the nuclear industry.
The earlier governments were paying only lip service to the country’s nuclear efforts.
V Venkatasubramanyan
Mumbai
Honour the pact
Sir,
Moral and ethical responsibility demands JD(S) to honour the pact agreed upon 20 months ago with the BJP in Karnataka and hand over power on October 3. As far as party supremo H D Deve Gowda is concerned, it is unbecoming of a former prime minister to stoop so low as to disregard commitment of his own ideology and bringing discredit to the party as a whole.
V E Venkataramani
Bangalore
Coalition dharma
Sir,
JD (S) supremo H D Deve Gowda and his politician sons have more foes than friends. In order to have firm control and supremacy over state politics, the family coterie is distancing itself with all and sundry. The running battle with NICE company which is doing the BMIC project is a good example of this.
Gowda should realise that giving due chance to those with whose support they are running the government for more than 20 months is an essential element in coalition dharma.
H P Murali
Bangalore
Political drama
Sir,
The political drama which is unfolding in Karnataka on the eve of transfer of power on October 3 is tending to be foolish. This coalition government came into existence with the only aim of enjoying power and pelf rather than for governance. The two parties quarrelled among themselves giving development a back seat. The result is the horrible infrastructure of Bangalore city and similar situations in other parts of the State.
Mirle S Sitaram
Bangalore
Performance matters
Sir,
Now that the euphoria over India Twenty 20 victory is over, it’s time for fans, critics, media and the BCCI to take a reality check. They should remember that the victory was possible because of the good performance from our players and not because they were young. Almost all of these young players, except Rohit Sharma and Joginder Sharma, were part of our World Cup Team in March 2007 where they didn’t give good performances.
Amjad K Maruf
Thane
Rahul as secretary
Sir,
Induction of Rahul Gandhi into the Congress party as its General Secretary is a welcome move as it will help the party woo a lot of youngsters into the fold. His appointment will provide new energy to the party, only if he is not feudal in his approach and introduces genuine intraparty democracy in the Congress.
Nuclear sector: Myth and reality
