People's Democracy

'STOP DISINFORMATION CAMPAIGN  ON INDIA-US NUCLEAR DEAL'

A WELL attended meeting of the Delhi Union of Journalists (DUJ) spotlighting the dangers of the India-US nuclear deal condemned the use of money power, increasing business politician nexus  and the use of the prime minister's public relations and press management officers to spread an orchestrated disinformation campaign targeting opponents of the deal.

Fears were also expressed that India's foreign policy was bidding goodbye to non-alignment and step by step taking the country towards becoming the watchdogs of the American empire with dangerous ramifications.

The CPI(M) MP Mohammed Salim in his speech charged that India was on the way to becoming a second Israel to the US if it went ahead with the nuke deal. Ridiculing the government's claims based on certain newspaper surveys that over 80 per cent people supported the nuclear deal,  Salim posed the question: why did not the government go to the people straightaway instead of trying to save itself by striking deals within deals.

CPI general secretary A B Bardhan lashed out at the government for unleashing a disinformation campaign on the India-US nuclear deal and for taking the public for a ride. He said the country's energy security could well be ensured by tapping solar, wind, coal, hydel and gas energy sources which the country has in great abundance. Citing an example, Bardhan said India's coal reserves are enough to meet our energy needs for the next 150 yeas.

The symposium, organised by the Delhi Union of Journalists (DUJ), Delhi Media Centre for Research Publications and the Committee for Independent Foreign Policy, was addressed by political leaders, diplomats, strategic affairs specialists and others. The symposium was anchored by eminent media personality Paranjoy Guha Tahakurta.

The meeting unanimously passed a resolution, moved by DUJ president S K Pande, calling upon the government to desist from operationalising the deal as it would compromise national sovereignty. It noted that India's time tested  foreign policy was being surrendered.

Former diplomat M K Bhadrakumar said that the importance US attaches to the nuclear deal was clear from the fact that while Indian foreign secretary was addressing the IAEA, US under secretary for political affairs was sitting in the next room monitoring the developments. He said the US was pursuing the doctrine of absolute security and nuclear superiority. A vital component of this strategy is to build up a new security structure in which India, Israel and Turkey will form the tripod.

Bhadrakumar said the fact that it has no control over 73 per cent of oil reserves of the world is unacceptable to the US. Hence its strategy to alter the situation.

Prabir Purkayastha of the Delhi Science Forum said the nuclear energy route is the most expensive and the country should not become dependent on uranium cartel led by the US which has been constantly increasing uranium price.

Senior journalist Seema Mustafa lamented that the tendency to be on the right side of the establishment has become the mantra of the media. She said the nuclear deal is part of a strategic alliance aimed at silencing India's voice in the comity of nations.