Nuclear tests a political move

SURAT, May 17: Rajya Sabha MP and noted columnist Kuldip Nayar alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party had conducted the nuclear tests to wa...

SURAT, May 17: Rajya Sabha MP and noted columnist Kuldip Nayar alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party had conducted the nuclear tests to ward off the challenge posed by its demanding allies. 8220;It was a political and not a military decision.8221;

He told reporters tonight that besides silencing its allies, the BJP-dominated government also had had mid-term elections in mind. The party wanted to cash on the euphoria generated by the nuclear tests as the Assembly elections were due in some states, he claimed.

The party may wait till the year-end before going in for the mid-term elections, he said, accusing the BJP of changing its national agenda. The regional allies of the present government would also exploit the nuclear tests to meet their regional interests.

Maintaining that there was no threat from Pakistan or China, he said neither was the time ripe nor the economy stable enough to allow nuclear tests. The country should not make nuclear weapons, he said.

The tests had given Pakistan the opportunity to exploit the situation and land as much as it could by way of bargain, especially from the West, he observed. The bill moved in the US senate to repeal the Pressler Law indicated that Pakistan would get its much-coveted F-16s, he claimed.

Nayar also roundly criticised the West for the language used in denouncing India. If the US could do nothing when China or France conducted nuclear tests, they why was it browbeating India by imposing sanctions, he questioned.

The tests were a big embarrassment for the US, he said, predicting that some heads might roll in both the Central Intelligence Agency and the Embassy in India.

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However, he did not buy India8217;s argument that it be given a permanent seat on the Security Council on the basis of the recent tests. Nayar said he was opposed to the present government8217;s move to introduce a bill in Parliament to revive the 22-member committee of MPs to supervise the Prasar Bharati corporation. 8220;I am dead opposed to this both as MP and journalist the committee takes away its automony8221;, he said.

Nayar suggested that there should be a bill to ban foreign equity in print media in India. So far it was only an understanding, but it should be backed by a legislation, he said, pointing out that foreigners had a different viewpoint on vital issues like Kashmir and the North-East. He said he would take up these issues in the next session of Parliament.

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