PM meets nuke scientists on Indo-US nuclear deal

New Delhi, Aug 16: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today held a meeting with nuclear scientists to take their views on the July 18, 2005 Indo-US nuke agreement and the reservations of various sections over related developments in the US House and Senate committees.

Official sources confirmed that the meeting was held in the morning, but were tight-lipped about the members of the scientist community who had been called for the meeting.

It is understood that Dr Anil Kakodkar, Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) and Secretary in the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), was among those present at the meeting which lasted for over an hour.

The meeting came ahead of the short duration discussion in the Rajya Sabha tomorrow and the Lok Sabha next week following the demand by the Opposition and Left parties for adopting a ''sense of Parliament'' resolution to allay apprehensions over the views of the US committees.

The government rejected the Opposition's demand for adopting the resolution on the issue, but has agreed for a discussion in the two Houses.

Dr Singh is expected to make a reply in both the Houses.

Dr Kakodkar has also gone on record stating that the US was seeking to change the goalposts in violation of the Indo-US nuclear deal for cooperation in civil nuke energy through a series of reciprocal steps by the two countries, ending decades of apartheid against New Delhi in the field.

Today's meeting assumes significance in the light of reservations expressed also by eminent scientists.

The scientists who have voiced their concern include former AEC Chairmen H N Sethna, M R Srinivasan and P K Iyengar.

Their objections related to the infringement on indigenous research and development, perpetual safeguards and Parliament's right to decide the basic principles on which the deal should be implemented.

UNI

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