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India’s nuclear deal for the benefit of foreign commercial interests

The “foreign hand” argument perhaps applies more to the government than to the people, Sarma said. “Is it not the foreign hand that was responsible for compelling the UPA government to push through the Indo-US nuclear deal to serve the commercial interests of another country more than promoting self-reliance? 

Anti-nuke groups slam PM remarks Deccan Herald, HYDERABAD/CHENNAI, Feb 26, 20012,   Ex-secretary rubbishes foreign hand theory Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s remarks that some foreign NGOs were behind the agitation against the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project (KNPP) were rubbished by a former energy secretary at the Centre and drew a strong backlash with anti-nuclear groups organising a big rally in Chennai on Sunday.

Singh’s remarks in a TV interview that some US and Scandinavian NGOs obstructed India’s nuclear energy programme in the backdrop of the seven-month long agitation the nuclear power project in Tamil Nadu drew a sharp retort from former Union energy secretary E A S Sarma in Vishakhapatnam. He trashed the Prime Minister’s talk of “foreign hand” and made out a strong case for suspending the works on nuclear plants in the interests of the country’s future and safety.

The anti-KNPP group led by S P Udayakumar met in Chennai in a clear
indication that the protests against the Russia-aided nuclear plant
were no longer confined to the coastal hamlets of Kudankulam and
Idinthakarai near the plant site, but a state issue.

“I don’t know whether it has reached a flashpoint; but it is no longer
a local issue; we want the people of Tamil Nadu to take a stand as the
coastal livelihood of this state and Kerala will be worst hit if the
KNPP is allowed to start,” Udayakumar told Deccan Herald.

“Let them arrest us, we will do all we can to protect our people’s
interests,” he asserted.
Describing Singh’s remarks “as very unusual coming from a prime
minister to belittle a people’s movement,” Udayakumar said he was
considering suing Singh, as being the movement’s convener he felt the
allegations targeted him…..
Udayakumar said they had no faith even in the latest state-appointed
panel led by Dr M R Srinivasan, Atomic Energy Commission former chief,
who gave a “clean chit” to the KNPP even before giving his report to
the state government…..
Sarma told Deccan Herald from Vishakhapatnam: “The prime minister’s
statement was ill-advised, devoid of a realistic appreciation of the
ground realities and lacked appreciation of the genuine public concern
over the potential dangers of nuclear technology as reflected by the
catastrophic explosions in the reactors at Three Mile Island in 1979,
Chernobyl in 1986 and Fukushima 2011. It amounts to belittling the
voice of dissent in a democracy like ours,” he said.

The “foreign hand” argument perhaps applies more to the government
than to the people, Sarma said. “Is it not the foreign hand that was
responsible for compelling the UPA government to push through the
Indo-US nuclear deal to serve the commercial interests of another
country more than promoting self-reliance? Has not the country been
pushed into a permanent state of dependence on imported nuclear
reactors and imported fuels for no compelling reason?” he asked
.http://www.deccanherald.com/content/230376/anti-nuke-groups-slam-pm.html

February 27, 2012 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | India, politics