May 17:On the nuclear energy, the Prime Minister said that it is a clean source of energy and that is why India is trying to pursuade the rest of the world to enter into civil nuclear cooperation with it. He said if we are to succeed in meeting our growing energy requirements, it should become a reality. He said Indo-US nulear deal will protect the country’s strategic programme and at the same time it will widen the energy options.
He said, even the former President Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, who was associated with the Pokhran programme, strongly favoured the nuclear energy through civil nucler cooperation. Even the former National Security Advisory, Brijesh Mishra and the scientific establishment have also expressed similar views.
On the question of terrorism, the Prime Minister underlined the need for strengthening the security forces including the intelligence gathering process. He, however, added that terrorism has assumed a more menacing form and they have also the advantage of the surprise attack. Appreciating the role of the intelligence agencies in preventing many disasters in the country, Dr. Singh said one has to take a balanced view of the situation before criticising the establishment for any event or incidence. Strongly pitching for a federal agency to deal with the crimes of inter-State ramifications like terrorism, narcotics, human trafficking and white collar crimes, he disclosed that the State Governments are reluctant to cooperate in surrendering their powers. Asking the stakeholders to examine this possibility with an open mind, the Prime Minister said the investigation of federal crime should be entrusted to an agency which would be fully equipped to discharge this onerous function.
