Skip to main content

Clean energy? Modi-Trump nuclear bonhomie: India to 'buy' America’s nuclear junk?

By Bhabani Shankar Nayak 
Clean energy security is central to India's economic growth and sustainable development. However, nuclear power plants take 5 to 17 years longer to construct from planning to production. Additionally, nuclear power emits 23 times more carbon per unit of electricity generated than onshore wind power and costs five times more per kilowatt. The operational cost of nuclear power plants is significantly high, making them an expensive and less viable energy source compared to renewable alternatives. 
The Chernobyl and Fukushima disasters highlight the severe risks of nuclear power, including meltdowns, radioactive waste, proliferation concerns, and pollution of land, air and water—factors that significantly increase cancer risks on a large scale. Uranium is essential for nuclear power plants, but specialists warn that mining uranium is akin to mining cancer due to its severe health and environmental risks. Therefore, nuclear energy is neither clean nor sustainable due to its high production costs and associated risks. It is also not a viable solution to the climate crisis India faces daily.
Historically, American technological embargo on India was detrimental to Indian technological progress. American continues to discriminate India by putting restrictions on access to AI chips technology and Solar technology to India but Hindutva led ruling class represented by Mr Narendra Modi continues to run behind Yankee imperialism by sacrificing Indian independent foreign policy and dignity of India.  Modi-Trump Nuclear Bonhomie is part of this servitude of Hindutva politics that undermines the dignity of Indians. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Donald Trump have decided to expand American nuclear reactors in India "through large-scale localisation and possible technology transfer."
The Modi-led BJP government is amending policies to align with the interests of American nuclear power corporations. Meanwhile, the American corporate leadership, under Mr. Trump, seeks to revive U.S. nuclear corporations by facilitating the transfer of Indian wealth and resources to America. The Modi government is advancing American interests by supporting the revival of technologically outdated and weakening American nuclear power corporations. The push to bring more American atomic reactors to India will not benefit Indian interests in any way.
All American power companies have refrained from ordering new nuclear power plants after 1973. Since 1978, no American power company has made an order for nuclear reactors. As a result, domestic manufacturing capacity for nuclear reactors and its components have dwindled, leading to a decline in nuclear reactor technology. This has also contributed to a shortage of trained personnel in the field. Consequently, American nuclear power plants and reactor technologies are now outdated. Therefore, purchasing outdated nuclear technology only benefits American companies and serves to uphold American interests, rather than advancing India's energy goals.
In the long term, instead of reviving the American nuclear industry, India must invest in research and development to create its own technology, ensuring the country's future energy needs are met sustainably. In the interim, India could establish research partnerships with advanced nuclear reactor-producing countries like China and France to learn from their technological advancements. This approach would be far more beneficial than purchasing outdated American nuclear technological junks.
Nuclear power is incredibly hazardous, and the working people will ultimately pay for it with their lives. Additionally, nuclear power is extremely expensive, and working individuals will bear the burden of higher electricity costs. The higher cost of nuclear energy will drive up energy prices, leading to an increase in the cost of essential commodities. As a result, working Indians will bear the burden, while American nuclear corporations will benefit from the revival of their outdated nuclear industry. Therefore, it is crucial to expose the Hindutva bonhomie with Yankee imperialism in order to protect the interests of India and its people.
Hindutva is another name for corporate politics and policies that serves the interests of global, regional, national, and provincial capitalist classes, rather than the people in India. It works for capitalism, not for the welfare of the masses. It is time to expose the anti-people, anti-India Hindutva government led by Mr. Modi, while also unveiling the emptiness of the so-called "clean nuclear energy" provided by outdated American nuclear reactors.

Comments

TRENDING

Budget for 2018-19: Ahmedabad authorities "regularly" under-spend allocation

By Mahender Jethmalani* The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation’s (AMC's) General Body (Municipal Board) recently passed the AMC’s annual budget estimates of Rs 6,990 crore for 2018-19. AMC’s revenue expenditure for the next financial year is Rs 3,500 crore and development budget (capital budget) is Rs 3,490 crore.

History, culture and literature of Fatehpur, UP, from where Maulana Hasrat Mohani hailed

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat*  Maulana Hasrat Mohani was a member of the Constituent Assembly and an extremely important leader of our freedom movement. Born in Unnao district of Uttar Pradesh, Hasrat Mohani's relationship with nearby district of Fatehpur is interesting and not explored much by biographers and historians. Dr Mohammad Ismail Azad Fatehpuri has written a book on Maulana Hasrat Mohani and Fatehpur. The book is in Urdu.  He has just come out with another important book, 'Hindi kee Pratham Rachna: Chandayan' authored by Mulla Daud Dalmai.' During my recent visit to Fatehpur town, I had an opportunity to meet Dr Mohammad Ismail Azad Fatehpuri and recorded a conversation with him on issues of history, culture and literature of Fatehpur. Sharing this conversation here with you. Kindly click this link. --- *Human rights defender. Facebook https://www.facebook.com/vbrawat , X @freetohumanity, Skype @vbrawat

Licy Bharucha’s pilgrimage into the lives of India’s freedom fighters

By Moin Qazi* Book Review: “Oral History of Indian Freedom Movement”, by Dr Licy Bharucha; Pp240; Rs 300; Published by National Museum of Indian Freedom Movement The Congress has won political freedom, but it has yet to win economic freedom, social and moral freedom. These freedoms are harder than the political, if only because they are constructive, less exciting and not spectacular. — Mahatma Gandhi The opening quote of the book by Mahatma Gandhi sums up the true objective of India’s freedom struggle. It also in essence speaks for the multitudes of brave and courageous individuals who aspired to get themselves jailed for the cause of the country’s freedom. A jail term was a strong testimony and credential of patriotism for them. The book has been written by Dr Licy Bharucha, an academically trained political scientist and a scholar of peace studies and Gandhian studies, who was closely associated throughout her life with those who made the struggle for India’s independence the primar...

New RTI draft rules inspired by citizen-unfriendly, overtly bureaucratic approach

By Venkatesh Nayak* The Department of Personnel and Training , Government of India has invited comments on a new set of Draft Rules (available in English only) to implement The Right to Information Act, 2005 . The RTI Rules were last amended in 2012 after a long period of consultation with various stakeholders. The Government’s move to put the draft RTI Rules out for people’s comments and suggestions for change is a welcome continuation of the tradition of public consultation. Positive aspects of the Draft RTI Rules While 60-65% of the Draft RTI Rules repeat the content of the 2012 RTI Rules, some new aspects deserve appreciation as they clarify the manner of implementation of key provisions of the RTI Act. These are: Provisions for dealing with non-compliance of the orders and directives of the Central Information Commission (CIC) by public authorities- this was missing in the 2012 RTI Rules. Non-compliance is increasingly becoming a major problem- two of my non-compliance cases are...

Urgent need to study cause of large number of natural deaths in Gulf countries

By Venkatesh Nayak* According to data tabled in Parliament in April 2018, there are 87.76 lakh (8.77 million) Indians in six Gulf countries, namely Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). While replying to an Unstarred Question (#6091) raised in the Lok Sabha, the Union Minister of State for External Affairs said, during the first half of this financial year alone (between April-September 2018), blue-collared Indian workers in these countries had remitted USD 33.47 Billion back home. Not much is known about the human cost of such earnings which swell up the country’s forex reserves quietly. My recent RTI intervention and research of proceedings in Parliament has revealed that between 2012 and mid-2018 more than 24,570 Indian Workers died in these Gulf countries. This works out to an average of more than 10 deaths per day. For every US$ 1 Billion they remitted to India during the same period there were at least 117 deaths of Indian Workers in Gulf ...

Celebrating 125 yr old legacy of healthcare work of missionaries

Vilas Shende, director, Mure Memorial Hospital By Moin Qazi* Central India has been one of the most fertile belts for several unique experiments undertaken by missionaries in the field of education and healthcare. The result is a network of several well-known schools, colleges and hospitals that have woven themselves into the social landscape of the region. They have also become a byword for quality and affordable services delivered to all sections of the society. These institutions are characterised by committed and compassionate staff driven by the selfless pursuit of improving the well-being of society. This is the reason why the region has nursed and nurtured so many eminent people who occupy high positions in varied fields across the country as well as beyond. One of the fruits of this legacy is a more than century old iconic hospital that nestles in the heart of Nagpur city. Named as Mure Memorial Hospital after a British warrior who lost his life in a war while defending his cou...

Sardar Patel was on Nathuram Godse's hit list: Noted Marathi writer Sadanand More

Sadanand More (right) By  A  Representative In a surprise revelation, well-known Gujarati journalist Hari Desai has claimed that Nathuram Godse did not just kill Mahatma Gandhi, but also intended to kill Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. Citing a voluminous book authored by Sadanand More, “Lokmanya to Mahatma”, Volume II, translated from Marathi into English last year, Desai says, nowadays, there is a lot of talk about conspiracy to kill Gandhi, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, and Shyama Prasad Mukherjee, but little is known about how the Sardar was also targeted.

UP tribal woman human rights defender Sokalo released on bail

By  A  Representative After almost five months in jail, Adivasi human rights defender and forest worker Sokalo Gond has been finally released on bail.Despite being granted bail on October 4, technical and procedural issues kept Sokalo behind bars until November 1. The Citizens for Justice and Peace (CJP) and the All India Union of Forest Working People (AIUFWP), which are backing Sokalo, called it a "major victory." Sokalo's release follows the earlier releases of Kismatiya and Sukhdev Gond in September. "All three forest workers and human rights defenders were illegally incarcerated under false charges, in what is the State's way of punishing those who are active in their fight for the proper implementation of the Forest Rights Act (2006)", said a CJP statement.

Uttarakhand tunnel disaster: 'Question mark' on rescue plan, appraisal, construction

By Bhim Singh Rawat*  As many as 40 workers were trapped inside Barkot-Silkyara tunnel in Uttarkashi after a portion of the 4.5 km long, supposedly completed portion of the tunnel, collapsed early morning on Sunday, Nov 12, 2023. The incident has once again raised several questions over negligence in planning, appraisal and construction, absence of emergency rescue plan, violations of labour laws and environmental norms resulting in this avoidable accident.