I know, the title will shock many, some may even say disrespectful to one of the nicest guys around - but as the old adage goes truth is stranger than fiction. I will lay out the facts to prove why the Prime Minister is lying through his teeth to fool the nation into agreeing to this Indo-US nuclear deal.
The issue: In order to gain the support the Samajwadi Party (SP), the PM asked his National Security Advisor (NSA) - Mr.M K Narayanan. According to the news reports, the NSA assured the SP by saying that the India-US nuclear deal does not compromise India’s strategic freedom, provides access to much needed energy and allows retention of the right to conduct nuclear tests.
Now, that’s a smart lie. A very very smart lie. By saying that India retains the right to conduct nuclear tests, the NSA is just telling you half the truth, by intentionally avoiding to tell the full truth, the NSA is actually guilty of lying on behalf of his boss - the PM. The PM has been toting this line for a long long time and the time has come to call the lie.
According to the US congressional record S.11021 on November 16,2006, the following has been recorded in the minutes of proceedings. I quote verbatim:
Mr. OBAMA. On a related note, is it the chairman’s interpretation of the legislation that, in the event of a future nuclear test by the Government of India, nuclear power reactor fuel and equipment sales, and nuclear technology cooperation would terminate; other elements of the United States-India nuclear agreement would likely terminate; and the United States would have the right to demand the return of nuclear supplies? (emphasis mine)
Mr. LUGAR. Yes, under our bill, the only requirement which is waived is that in section 123.a(2) of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, for full-scope safeguards. India’s 123 agreement would still have to meet the requirement of section 123.a(4), which requires that in the event of a test by India of a nuclear
explosive device the United States shall have the right to request the return of supplies as you have stipulated. (emphasis mine)
Read it again, this is Barrack Obama, the Presumptive Democratic Nominee for the post of the President of the United States of America asking very clearly whether the US has the right to end this deal and ask for return of supplies if India does a nuclear test. Based on his question, what do you think he would do if he was the President and India does a nuclear test. Do not forget as of today he has a 50% chance of being the US president considering that only he and McCain are realistic candidates to be the President.
Now, why is it half the truth - because this section that I quote falls under the President’s advisory, so the President can choose to ignore this advisory, which is what the current US President has done so. His tenure is running out and in any long term agreement, this should be an important consideration, because a political change can happen anytime and this is a potential landmine for India.
Now, as per the news report, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) released a statement which read that, “There is nothing in the agreement which places an embargo on India’s right to carry out a nuclear test if it thinks this is necessary in India’s supreme national interest.”
I just proved it that is a lie and it is a lie that is being said very intentionally.
So, why is it being done? Why does this Prime Minister want this deal so badly, a deal that has too many cons that it needs a much more detailed thought process to be applied by India and Indians before going ahead with it - that he is willing to go to the extent of blatantly supplying false information to the citizens of India.
Is it ego or is it a desire to leave a legacy behind? What do you think has made Dr. Manmohan Singh, the Prime Minister of India lie through his teeth?
July 4th, 2008 at 7:59 pm |Quote|
He didn’t lie. USA has no right in deciding whether India should make a nuclear test or not. But it has a right in terminating nuclear cooperation, in the event of an Indian test. You have to respect that right.
Come on, be honest. Why do you think any sane government in the world would be friendly with India after a nuclear test ?
We had been condemned by every-single-country after the last Pokhran, including Russia. Nobody wants nuclear proliferation in this world.
The decision to do a nuclear test is India’s decision. It will have to think of all consequences before making it.
July 5th, 2008 at 8:05 am |Quote|
PM of India is a Sonia Maino’s puppet. If the deal goes through, Sonia gets huge kick-backs to the tune of about 10% of the cost of the nuclear plants & technology deal with US. She has promised mulayam 10% share of the loot & a few fringe benifits like a few ministries in govt for the remaing 10 months. If the deal goes through, the communist parties of India loose half the booty offered by China ( half is already paid). If the deal goes through Congress thinks it can cut in to the BJP vote-bank of the educated class. It is very clear US will call the shots after the deal. They have clearly said, You have the right to test & we have the right to react. Its all an old game with India at the receiving end. Boffors, they gave us the Hovitzers & no Ammo. But who cares? To hell with Indian public & the national interests. To hell with Indian armed-forces. To hell with the booming Indian industry. Jai US, Jai China, Jai Italy & India & its people can go to hell. That is why Manmohan/Pranab Mukharjee/ Sitaram Yechuri/A B Vardhan/ Prakash Karanth lie. Indians deserve their politicians.
July 5th, 2008 at 8:33 am |Quote|
Exactly my point. You sign this deal now, you think that Nuclear energy is now part of your energy portfolio and suddenly all that is pulled out underneath from you when you do a Nuclear test that is in your best interests, you will lose the supply of nuclear energy. Without energy how will your economy grow?
China is India’s threat and the reason why India will not sign the NPT, it will mean China can have nukes, India cannot. So, the Chinese will have all the right to use Nuclear energy both for civil as well as military purposes but India cannot?
Come on!!!!
July 5th, 2008 at 8:03 pm |Quote|
July 6th, 2008 at 1:37 am |Quote|
The deal is bad for India in the sense that it prevents India from conducting nuclear tests (in practical terms). Given the fact that India is surrounded by hostile neighbors with nuclear capabilities (some having more advanced nuclear capability than India’s), nuclear testing is essential for India.
July 6th, 2008 at 2:10 pm |Quote|
@swaminathan,
The issue is not whether we need Nuclear energy, I have already written (http://www.venkateshsridhar.com/why-the-nuclear-deal-is-bad-for-india/) that I have no problems with usage of nuclear energy but with certain conditions in the deal, which I have blogged about.
I also have concerns regarding our ability to manage nuclear disasters whose probability now increase as we increase production. I have quoted directly from the proceedings in the US Congress where the dialogue that happened is starkly in contrast to what the PM is saying.
If the PM is saying something that is not the truth, then what do you call that? Don’t assume that a person regardless of how honorable he is cannot make mistakes, everyone does.