`N-weaponisation falsified security, heightened tensions' (In 'The Hindu' dated 18th Aug. 2003)
CHENNAI
The concept of deterrence too was falsified after the Kargil war and two other occasions, because the two countries came close to conflict, they maintained at a discussion on `India's Dangerous Tryst with Nuclear Weapons'. Besides reorienting the national expenditure, it made a privileged group more powerful than the others.
The discussion was organised by Orient Longman on the occasion of release of a book, Prisoners of the Nuclear Dream, edited by M. V. Ramana, physicist, and C. Rammanohar Reddy, Deputy Editor, The Hindu.
Dr. Reddy, who chaired the session, said the book was an attempt to fill the vacuum in literature that argued against possession of nuclear arms. It was a collection of writings by scientists, activists, strategic affairs analysts, economists, defence personnel and analysts.
Dismissing the theory of deterrence, J. Sriraman, convener, Movement Against Nuclear Weapons, Chennai, said possessing nuclear weapons only heightened tensions between nuclear weapons states, as was witnessed between the U.S. and the erstwhile USSR during the cold war. Citing examples of the Cuban War, the Indo-China War, the Falklands War between Argentina and the United Kingdom, and the Kargil war, he emphasised that nuclear arms did not come with an assurance of stability and peace.
V. Krishna Ananth, Senior Assistant Editor, The Hindu, pointed out that Pokhran-I and II were made possible by a political consensus to keep the nuclear option open. Almost all parties played a role in India's nuclear programme, failing to openly criticise the tests. "It was the inability to understand the value of human life" that translated into support for the bomb, he said.
Quoting statistics from his study on polydactyl children at and around Kalpakkam, V. Pugazhendi, member, Doctors for a Safer Environment, said most of the cases were found within a 16-km radius of the reactor there. Prawn and crabs off the coast of Kalpakkam also showed higher levels of polonium concentration.
Speaking about the anti-nuclear weaponisation campaign, D. Indumathi, member, Indian Scientists Against Nuclear Weapons and Tamil Nadu Science Forum, said a slide show highlighting the impact of a nuclear bomb was being screened at schools and colleges.
Later, responding to queries, the panellists pointed out that though opinion on nuclear energy was divided within the movement, concerns over safety standards and transparency were raised at various points of time.
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