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Journalism of Courage
His party had some days ago pointed out the need for a new debate on nuclear energy in India in the light of the crisis in Japan. On Sunday,senior BJP leader L K Advani went a step ahead and criticised the government for disregarding concerns about rushing headlong into the direction of new nuclear energy plants and said the stubborn refusal to draw lessons from Fukushima showed how the government had lost even its political bearings.
Writing in his blog,Advani suggested that the nuclear crisis in Japan should make India cautious. While Advanis concerns were based on the chain of events at the Fukushima plant hit by the tsunami-induced earthquake,the context was the turmoil in Jaitapur,where ally Shiv Sena is leading the protests against the plant. He slammed Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh for adopting an adamant stand on Jaitapur.
Advani pointed out that the tragedy in Japan has disturbed all the countries having nuclear power plants and almost all of them have ordered a review of the safety aspect. Against the above background,it is surprising to find GoI spokesmen practically ridiculing everyone who voices reservations about rushing headlong into the direction of new nuclear energy plants, he wrote.
Singling out Ramesh,he said,If any environmentalist strikes a note of caution that the tragedy in Japan should not be disregarded,particularly in parts of the country which are known to be in a seismic zone,he invites sarcastic remarks from the Environment Minister that it is paradoxical that the environmentalists are against nuclear energy.
Advanis remarks as well as the partys recent demand for a debate on the safety of nuclear plants signal a slight shift in the BJPs approach. The party has always been a strong votary of nuclear energy. It had taken the initiative for a civil nuclear deal with the US when it was in power,although it opposed the agreement later accusing the UPA I of compromising Indias strategic nuclear programme. It then backed the civil nuclear liability Bill after the government agreed to make changes in the draft Bill as demanded by the party.
