The Hindu : Opinion / Letters to the Editor : On the nuclear deal

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Friday, Oct 19, 2007
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Opinion - Letters to the Editor

On the nuclear deal

The off-the-cuff remarks by Democrat lawmaker Gary Ackerman on the UPA government’s decision to put on hold the operationalisation of the Indo-U.S. nuclear deal are outrageous. Can we imagine an Indian legislator giving a lesson to the U.S. on how democracy should function? Only recently, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice openly advised India to abandon the non-aligned movement.

For Washington, the nuclear deal might be just that — a deal but it is the question of pledging a country’s sovereign interests as quid pro quo that is being debated in India. Democracy provides an opportunity to analyse a situation beforehand. The Iraq quagmire could have been prevented had the U.S. Congress discussed the invasion democratically.

Syed Sultan Mohiddin,

Kadapa

* * *

Why is the Congress afraid of elections? Had it explained the pros and cons of the nuclear deal to the nation, it would have won a majority on its own. It is well known that oil is not going to last forever. Among the alternative sources of energy, nuclear power is a proven source. We need statesmen, not politicians, to run the country.

R. Sudarshan,

Chennai

* * *

The Congress’ about-turn is a tactical political move. It is committed to the nuclear deal. It is coalition pressure that has led to the nuclear deal being put on hold. There is no hurry to operationalise the deal because the country is not going to face energy crisis soon. Surely, the nuclear deal will go through when the Congress forms a majority government.

E. Muralidharan,

Chennai

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