Power to the people :-) NSG Waiver for India

Okay. The India specific NSG waiver is done and over with. The waiver brings with it a host of controversies.

The powers-that-be in New Delhi may do well to take what Ms. Rice assures with a pinch of salt. She has a history of double talk on the Nuclear deal with India. While the NSG waiver implies that India is now free to do nuclear trade (for peaceful purposes) with other countries (of NSG) too even before the 123 agreements gets passed in the US Congress, courtesy would demand that India wait till that takes place - so that the right of first bite of the nuclear trade pie goes to the US suppliers. One sincerely hopes that the whole intention of the Indo-US nuclear deal is not to help the suppliers from US to make more money but to give power to the people - of the 'electricity kind' at least :-)

Let us applaud the hard-work that has gone in to ensure nuclear club inclusion. Let us welcome the chance to generate cleaner energy. Let us be sensible with what we do with the technology that we gain access to.

And let us be very clear in our minds that we can and we must if need be, walk out of the deal if the country's security is under threat warranting a nuclear test detonation. While it may not come to that state, in case it happens, it won't hurt if we are to be opportunistic in the mean-time.

Let us make the best of technology access and expertise that opens up after more than three decades of denial. And let us make the best use of opportunity to export Thorium on same or better terms than the terms under which nuclear trade is opened to us. Let us do it with pride.

I wonder how many of our analysts and politicians out there anticipate a smoother ride forward within India - even assuming US Congress passes the 1-2-3 Act. Setting up nuclear power plants require huge contiguous land...there are bound to be hurdles - local body oppositions, NGOs, Environmentalists, PILs etc., it may boil down to how well we are able to sell the benefits to the masses.

Let us hope for the best.
Cheers

Biting more than one can chew...

May be the title of the post should have been "How to shoot yourselves in your foot"!

That is exactly what the BJP and the Left seem to have done in aligning themselves with Ms. Mayawati of BSP. While the much smaller regional parties such as RLD and JD(S) would definitely gain by the alliance with BSP votebank in their respective states, it is beyond understanding what BJP has got itself into.

No doubt Ms. Mayawati is a shrewd politician, extremely talented rabble-rouser, a crowd puller and a widely accepted leader of the Dalit / oppressed class. If one goes by press reports, she has been pulling unprecedented crowds wherever she goes, including the Southern States of India, where historically the Dalit-centric parties have been relatively marginal in size, reach and leadership.

But time and again Ms. Mayawati has been accused of opportunism and corruption. And her playing the communal or casteist or 'class' card is reaching its pinnacle now with her claiming that the Nuclear deal is 'anti-Muslim' and if US or Israel bomb Iran, India signing the nuclear deal would be the cause!

She has gone to town now stating "single point agenda is to bring down the UPA government". Does the nuclear deal come anywhere in the picture.

It is a pity seasoned political parties such as BJP or the Left (CPI, CPI(M)) have not realised the significance of propelling Ms. Mayawati. By her timing and Left-BJP's internal agenda, the hitherto regional leader Ms. Mayawati has been brought to considerable limelight and national political scene. Without realising it, the Left + BJP combine have accelerated her ascension.

The next Loksabha elections would see a huge swing of votes / loss of seats in favor of Ms. Mayawati and the parties that are likely to be most affected are the BJP and to some extent the Congress (I).

The bottle has been uncorked...the genie is out...is it a friend or foe ? Is it selfish or selfless ?

Only time shall tell.