Sonia Remains Non-Committal On Nuclear Tests

The Congress has decided on cautious questioning of the government on its decision to test nuclear devices, remaining noncommital while avoiding criticism of the highly popular decision and claiming credit for Indira Gandhi's initial decision to test in 1974 while warning against belligerence in dealing with neighbours now.

The only question regarding her party's reactions to the nuclear blasts on which Congress President Sonia Gandhi was categorical and firm was that it did "absolutely not" back the construction of a temple at the blasts site. The only other question which brought a "yes, absolutely" was on whether what really worried the Congress was the government's secrecy about its motives.

Gandhi was barraged with questions about her party's policies regarding the blasts at a tea for journalists, at which she was mobbed by camera crews and reporters. She kept saying she could not give a clear answer to their questions "until they (the government) comes out in clear terms with their reasons."

The party's senior leaders have been intensely debating what line they should adopt. In internal discussions, leaders like Manmohan Singh have painted a gloomy picture of the economic outlook and Pranab Mukherjee has recommended that the party caution the nation about the economic and strategic fallout. But leaders like NKP Salve have strongly argued that the public euphoria is too strong for the party to thus defy.

Asked the crucial question on what effect she thought the tests would have on the assembly elections due later this year, Gandhi said: "Maloom nahin (I don't know.)" She had answered another question in Hindi about what the party needed to do now by saying, after thinking for a moment: "Hum logon ko kaam karna hai, apne logon ko samjhana hai (We have to work, explain to our people)." Obviously tense about whether her extempore Hindi would work, she laughed sheepishly as she finished that sentence.

Gandhi did criticise the government for speaking in different voices. "Some people are expressing their views in a very aggressive way," she said, and mentioned that they were cabinet ministers, while the prime minister had spoken of wanting friendship with neighbours.

In her speech as leader to the Congress in Parliament earlier, Gandhi had said that "Indiraji signed the Shimla Agreement. She was resolute in war but more importantly magnanimous in victory. She conducted Pokharan-I but extended her hand of friendship to our neighbours..."

Rajiv Gandhi ....presented an Action Plan for a Nuclear Weapons-free and Non-violent World Order to the United Nations in 1988. This continues to be the sheet-anchor of our nuclear weapons policy. That is the crux of the matter. We would like to know whether this plan is still fundamental to the country's Nuclear Policy?"

She raised many questions, about whether the tests should have been preceded by the strategic defence review that the government had promised, about "credible evidence" for the government's assertion that "our security environment has deteriorated," and about the "sabre-rattling indulged in by senior ministers of the government."

Walking a politically sensitive tightrope, she said: "Let me categorically state that we are with the government in the protection of our national security and national interests. But we ask, in what way the change of nuclear policy enhance our national security? Has the government thought through the consequences of its actions?

"Beyond affirming that India will not bow to foreign pressure or compromise on the question of sanctions, we would like the government to share with us its strategy for the future, in particular its stand on signing the CTBT.

"If the tests were done to improve our leverage and bargaining position in international fora, we would like the government to share with us how preceisely this will materialise.

"How does it intend to insure that India is not isolated internationall? How will it ensure that those countries that have imposed sanctions are persuaded by our arguments and resume relations with us?

"How will it further the cause of nuclear disarmament and not set it back?"