Opinion - Letters to the Editor   

Pros and cons

This refers to the editorials “A sound and honourable 123” (Aug. 6) and “Put the nuclear deal on hold” (Aug. 20). Though the headings give the impression that they are contradictory, a proper reading of the two shows that there is no contradiction. The Hindu has rightly driven home the point that while the nuclear deal is important, our sovereignty cannot be jeopardised for clinching it. Since it is now feared that the 123 agreement can be overruled by the Hyde Act, India’s policymakers should evolve a foolproof mechanism to ensure incessant supply of nuclear fuel, even if India were to test a nuclear device.

Syed Sultan Mohiddin,
Kadapa

The Prime Minister and his advisers have been working overtime to keep the nation’s focus away from the foreign policy implications of the 123 deal, which is about charting an Indo-U.S. strategic partnership. As an instrument that is bound to change our strategic policy and alignment, and one that is opposed by a vast majority in Parliament, the deal cannot move forward in the absence of a national consensus.

Prasad Koduri,

Hyderabad

It is obvious that the majority in the Lok Sabha is against the deal. It is time the Constitution was amended to make ratification by Parliament mandatory for signing international treaties. The executive should not be given the liberty to enter into an agreement that binds the country forever.

K.N. Krishna Prasad,
Mysore

The deal, in the context of its long term ramifications and the fact that it is not an unmitigated blessing (having its own downside), merits a decision by a referendum. In a democracy, the majority view has to prevail however irrational it may appear to be. There is no getting away from the fact that if the deal were put to vote in Parliament today, the vote would go against it. The government must recognise this ground reality.

R. Subramanian,
Bangalore

Genuine doubts have been raised over the deal by non-Congress parties in the interest of the nation. In a mature democracy, however, parliamentarians are expected to sort out their differences. They are not expected to stall proceedings. Attempts to politicise serious matters should be avoided.

Rameeza A. Rasheed,
Chennai

The opposition and the Left parties are demanding something impossible — that India should retain the right to test nuclear weapons and get uninterrupted supply of nuclear fuel. As it is, the deal is considered to have diluted the NPT. Any further concession to India will have serious repercussions in controlling a nuclear arms race around the globe. It will be sensible for India to shelve its misgivings, and take advantage of this golden opportunity.

C. Venkatagiri,
Austin, Texas

After Pokhran II, the U.S. imposed many sanctions on India but gradually, under compulsion from its nuclear lobby, came to ‘appreciate’ that India is a responsible nuclear power. This being the case, the concerns over the Hyde Act are exaggerated. India is too big a consumer economy for the U.S. to act in an arbitrary manner.

James Terance Sekar,
Puducherry

To resolve the deadlock, the government can put the deal on hold and call for all-party discussions to take in objections, apprehensions, reservations, and questions relating to the deal. But there is no telling that the outcome will be favourable. On the other hand, if the government goes ahead with the deal, there is a risk of its falling and the deal being buried. The risk is worth taking because in the event of an election and the Congress coming back to power, the deal will go through. Otherwise, the deal will fall through in any case.

S. Narayan,
Mumbai

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