Krantipriya
Spokesperson,
CPI(M-L) NAXALBARI
Press Statement
Reject the Indo-US Nuclear Deal
By rushing ahead to finalise the Indo-US nuclear deal, unmindful of widespread opposition, the government led by the Indian Nation Congress reveals the extent to which it goes to please the murderer Bush. There are many factors in the agreements signed with the US and proposed to the IAEA that enslave India’s nuclear industry to imperialist interests. But, far beyond all that, the crux of the Indo-US nuclear deal is the surreptitious recognition given to India’s nuclear weapon status in return for pledging its alliance to US strategic interests. This boost to Indian expansionism, at the price of toeing US interests, is the most significant, strategic, aspect. This threatens the peace in South Asia and Asia.
Both the fake Left, led by the CPM, and the NDA, led by the BJP, are silent about this. In fact their concern is about the lack of a formal recognition of India’s nuclear weapon status, a possible ban on further testing of nuclear weapons and insufficient guarantees of fuel supply. While this is expected of the BJP, the stand of the CPM and its allies exposes that they too are strong proponents of Indian expansionism.
The real issues posed by the Indo-Us nuke deal are thus being covered up by the various political representatives of the ruling classes by framing it in terms of what is best suited for Indian expansionism. The people of India have nothing to gain from the nuclear weapons stockpiled by the rulers, or from the arms race this has accelerated. Indian expansionism is the main pillar of imperialist domination and reaction in South Asia. Anything that strengthens it is a danger for the people. US imperialism is the main danger of the world people. Anything that supports its interests must be opposed.
Such real issues are further sought to be covered up by pulling in the energy angle. It is claimed that this deal will allow India to vastly expand pollutant free and cheap nuclear energy while reducing its dependence on fossil fuels. This is a lie. Nuclear energy is a far more dangerous and long lasting source of pollution. The cost of making nuclear energy a major source of total energy supply is extremely high. Moreover, even if all resources were tapped, availability of raw material in the world itself falls far short of fanciful projections on replacing fossil fuels with nuclear energy. The real answer to the energy problem does not lie in such false solutions that come at the heavy price of dependence to imperialist capital and technology and criminal pollution of the earth. It calls for an end to the irrational, profit seeking, energy guzzling development path followed by the rulers.
To repeat, the Indo-US nuclear deal is not about peaceful nuclear energy development and the main issue raised by it is not the enslaving terms it imposes on the Indian nuclear industry. This deal recognises Indian expansionism’s nuclear ambitions in lieu of tying it up firmly with the hegemonic, imperialist, strategic interests of the US. It takes the growing relation between the Indian ruling classes and US imperialism to a totally new and even more dangerous level. It must be rejected precisely on these grounds.
July 12th, 2008.
