The Hindu : National : Don’t see the nuclear deal in isolation: CPI(M)

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Don’t see the nuclear deal in isolation: CPI(M)

Special Correspondent

Open letter on implications of Hyde Act

NEW DELHI: In a bid to put across its views forcefully to all MPs, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) on Saturday wrote an “open letter to all MPs” on the India-U.S. civilian agreement on nuclear cooperation which has raised a number of issues and kicked up a political storm in and outside Parliament.

In the six-page letter, the central committee of the party has explained in detail the implications of the Hyde Act, nuclear power and energy security and implications for foreign policy and strategic autonomy.

The letter said that the objections and the apprehensions raised by the Left parties and other parties, organisations, and concerned citizens and scientists on the nuclear deal need to be examined before proceeding further. “All we are asking the government to do is not to rush through with the next steps which are necessary to operationalise the deal,” it said.

The CPI(M) appealed to the MPs to seriously consider all the issues relating to the nuclear deal which would affect the country’s future. “It is our contention that the nuclear cooperation agreement should not be seen in isolation from the overall context of India-U.S. strategic relations, its impact on our foreign policy and our strategic autonomy. Further, the nuclear cooperation agreement must be seen in the context of our energy security, access to technology and the development of the three-stage nuclear programme,” the open letter said.

On the Hyde Act and its implications, it said the government has asserted that it was not binding on India.

“The relevant issue is that it is binding on the U.S. and this has been repeatedly stressed by U.S. spokespersons,” it said.

On the nuclear power and energy security, the CPI(M) said that the techno-economics of nuclear power and its relatively high cost did not make it an ideal choice. Nuclear power plants are about 50 per cent more expensive, even when using domestic technology and equipment. “If imported reactors for nuclear power are considered, the situation becomes worse: it will cost about three times as much to set up nuclear plants with imported reactors than coal based ones. It will also cost twice as much per unit – Rs. 5.10 - Rs. 5.50 as against Rs. 2.50 from coal fired plants,” it explained.

The letter said that going ahead with such an ambitious power programme dependant on imports would come at a high cost and would dry up investments in other sectors.

Dwelling upon implications for foreign policy and strategic autonomy, the CPI(M) said the U.S. did not see the nuclear cooperation agreement as a stand-alone arrangement.

“It is part of American design to try in India a wide ranging strategic alliance which will adversely affect the pursuit of an independent foreign policy and our strategic autonomy,” it said.

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