The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : DMK assails Left for joining hands with BJP

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Thursday, Aug 21, 2008
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

DMK assails Left for joining hands with BJP

Special Correspondent

In opposing the India-United States nuclear agreement

Arcot N. Veeraswami

CHENNAI: The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam treasurer and Electricity Minister Arcot N. Veeraswami on Wednesday criticised the Left parties for joining hands with Bharatiya Janata Party in opposing the India-United States civilian nuclear agreement.

Addressing a function here to mark the observance of the Rajiv Gandhi Renewable Energy Day, Mr. Veeraswami said though different sources were being used for generating electrical power, the future belonged to nuclear energy.

Conscious of this, the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government (comprising the DMK) had decided to enter into an agreement with the US. But, the Left and the BJP were opposed to the agreement because they perhaps did not want the country to witness greater economic growth and eradicate the problem of unemployment. “Do they want the country to remain in darkness? In the coming [Lok Sabha] elections, these parties will vanish from the scene without any trace,” he said.

Noting that China had made a rapid progress on the energy front in recent years, the Electricity Minister said some years ago, Japan competed with the US in capturing a major share in global market. Now, China replaced Japan. Its present installed capacity of power plants was eight lakh megawatt.

Stating that the DMK would welcome the civilian nuclear cooperation with the US as and when it came into effect, Mr. Veeraswami said time had come for people to recognise those organisations that took into account the interests of people and the country.

Koodankulam project

On the Koodankulam atomic power project being implemented with Russian assistance, the Minister said the first unit of 1,000 MW would be commissioned by February next and the second unit by 2009 end.

Giving an account of various measures being taken by the State government on the power front, Mr. Veeraswami said Tamil Nadu would be able to supply power to others by 2011. The government asked the Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) to ensure that two units of 1,200 MW capacity at the North Chennai thermal power plant were commissioned by 2010 end against the normal duration of 36 months.

K.V. Thankgabalu, Tamil Nadu Congress Committee president, said it was Rajiv Gandhi’s visionary approach in the 1980s that made India now a giant in the field of information technology.

The former Prime Minister had emphasised that panchayats should be given greater powers so that they could function as meaningful local self-governments.

It was Rajiv Gandhi who ensured that voting rights were given to those who attained the age of 18 years.

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