E-Paper
Indo-US nuclear deal criticised
THE INDO-US Nuclear Pact is more about the commercial needs of US corporate sector dealing in nuclear rector and fuel business, according to Prof Dipak Malik, director, Gandhian Institute of Studies.
THE INDO-US Nuclear Pact is more about the commercial needs of US corporate sector dealing in nuclear rector and fuel business, according to Prof Dipak Malik, director, Gandhian Institute of Studies.
In a press statement, Prof Malik said that the brouhaha made by informed circles about the Indo-US Nuclear Pact missed the most important point that this deal was not much about capping military-nuclear ability of India which could still be maintained as a minimum necessary deterrent till complete denuclearisation was done.
Prof Malik said that for the past 15 years, in United States no nuclear plant had been sold and installed. Similar was the case in Europe, except France. “ Nuclear Plant is in deep crisis because there are no takers due to high intensity campaign by peace groups, anti-nuclear groups and green peace movements”, he said.
“The US-India Nuclear Co-operation Promotion Act of 2006 which is now renamed Hyde Amendment, was passed in the US House of Representatives with an overwhelming majority of 359 votes for as against 68 votes.”, he said and added that this was definitely the victory of the economic clout of the NRI lobby in USA, who lobbied feverishly for the Bill in the House.
He said it was equally and perhaps more powerfully lobbied by nuclear plants and nuclear supplying corporate sector in USA whose extremely expensive ware were rusting for the last 15-20 years with no market in sight.
“In spite of six amendments out of which two were potentially deal breaker which were sidelined, four amendments passed contentious issues underlined”, he said.
“The one amendment offered by Jeff Forten Berry of Nebraska requires the US president to submit a report to two important committees dealing in the amount of natural Uranium mined in India and the amount of fissile material that India has produced for military purpose”, he said.
