The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : “Deal indefensible in all three aspects: Achin Vanaik

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Wednesday, Jul 23, 2008
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Tamil Nadu - Chennai

“Deal indefensible in all three aspects: Achin Vanaik

Special Correspondent

CHENNAI: Invoking the analytically bankrupt concept of ‘national interest’ to justify rushing through with the nuclear deal was unacceptable, Achin Vanaik, professor, political science in Delhi University, said on Monday.

At a national debate on the civil nuclear deal organised by Loyola College here, he said the deal was indefensible in all three of its aspects: strategic co-operation with the United States; recognition of India as a nuclear weapons state; and development of nuclear energy. The deal would clearly condemn India to the status of a regional ally of the U.S. in its efforts to curtail the expansion of Chinese influence in Asia, as it was between unequals, he said. It would also hurt India’s prestige as a voice against the proliferation of nuclear weapons.

As for energy security, he said that Moody Investor Services’ recent calculation that nuclear energy would cost $6,000 a kilowatt ruled out its viability to meet India’s energy needs. Coupled with the expenses incurred, India would have to bear the social cost of the dangers of nuclear energy, due to waste disposal and accident management problems.

Lawrence S. Prabhakar, professor, political science, Madras Christian College, said the deal would benefit India in its bid to ensure energy and technological security. C. D. Meyyappan, All-India Congress Committee member, said the deal was seen as necessary by all parties, and only ideological and political opposition was holding it back. .

Praful Bidwai, activist and columnist, said the deal was unethical irrespective of who supported it. Fast breeder reactors, which were supposed to lead to thorium reactors, had already been rejected by France, the U.S. and Russia as being uneconomical, he said. The college announced the results of a poll conducted among the audience on their stance on the nuclear deal. 149 respondents (73 per cent of those polled) said they were against the deal, with 57 being in favour of it.

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