The Hindu : New Delhi News : Nuclear deal is unique, says Abdul Kalam

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Wednesday, Sep 05, 2007
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New Delhi

Nuclear deal is unique, says Abdul Kalam

His endorsement comes at a time when the Left is opposed

‘There may be a lot of differences, but Parliament has to function’
The former President did not feel that the scientists are being ignored

New Delhi: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has found support for the Indo-U.S. nuclear deal from former President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam.

“It’s unique, what he has done,” Mr. Kalam said on NDTV’s ‘Walk the Talk’ programme when asked whether the Prime Minister can be complimented for having clinched the deal.

Mr. Kalam’s endorsement comes at a time when the Left parties have again upped their ante against the deal and warned the government of a “crisis” if it went ahead with its operationalisation.

Asked whether he thought scientists opposing the deal were going too far, he evaded a direct response.

“Fortunately, in our democratic set-up, scientists can always approach at the highest level.”

The 75-year-old nuclear scientist also did not feel that the scientists were being ignored. “I didn’t feel like that at all.”

“Whatever has happened is (for) good,” Mr. Kalam responded when his view was sought on the deal on which the Prime Minister had consulted him.

Mr. Kalam said he had met the Prime Minister before “finishing my assignment (as President)” and highlighted the importance of thorium reactors.

“I told the Prime Minister that thorium reactors are very important,” he said.

The Prime Minister too agreed that progress must be made on that front, the former President said.

Expressing his anguish over the repeated turmoil in Parliament, he said “Parliament has to function. There may be a lot of differences, but Parliament has to function.”

Mr. Kalam was candid on being asked whether he thought his decision to return the Office of Profit Bill to Parliament had cost him a second term in office.

“Well, I don’t care about it. That’s not the issue. What I am concerned about are the people. The people were after me (for a second term). So I had to consider that,” he said.

NDA regime

Mr. Kalam had a few words of praise for both Manmohan Singh and former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee who led the NDA regime.

“Each of them has a unique core competence,” he noted. — PTI

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