mindwanderings | the weblog of som benegal

The earlier posts will be back once our move and new design is complete.
Please bear with us until then.

I do not want to sound a spoilsport. A euphoria is building with the civilian nuclear agreement, known as the N-deal between the United States of America and India. The agreement is yet to be finalised, accepted and come into force. Extensive and intensive discussions have been going on. Politicians, statesmen, high ranking dignitaries and low-ranking officials, intellectuals, scientists, strategic experts and an army of busybodies have all got into the act. President Bush, Vice President Cheney (the power behind the US throne), Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, assorted Indian leaders have all contributed to the debate, parleys, pow-wows. Not to be left behind, media grey-heads have made impressive analyses oozing their wisdom on the subject.

We are promised that with this deal we will be active participants in world disarmament goals, though that may be a pipe-dream considering the way in which feverish armament is merrily going on. More to the point, India will be able to enrich its resources and projects for power by enlisting nuclear energy. But there are swags of course. They are many which could entrap India into a new configuration of world power. I will not go into the scientific details which entail controls on our freedom to exploit nuclear energy for peaceful purposes. These controls, as many fear, could convert India into a dumping ground for radioactive waste from other countries. To rejoice that India will not be hindered from testing for nuclear weapons is an empty celebration. Do we need to arm ourselves with such weapons? There are, of course, many who will respond with a resounding “yes”! Those who oppose this will be jeered at for a weak mindset.

With distinguished scientists and those closely involved in our nuclear and space programmes endorsing the proposed nuclear deal it seems churlish to have reservations. Yet the opposition of reservations have come from equally distinguished scientists. But the clinching argument is that India is on the rise as a world power and we cannot forego that opportunity nor shirk its responsibility to sit at that high table of powers.

But what is that power at that high table but vanity, and vexation of the spirit, nay, an empty vanity of vanities. Do we want respect from our neighbours and the world through hate and fear or shall we get it from a lower table through their affection, honour and fellow-feeling?