<b>XI LOK SABHA DEBATES<i> Session II, Budget </i> </b> XI LOK SABHA DEBATES Session II, Budget Friday, August 2, 1996 / Sravana 11, 1918 (Saka)
Type of Debate: SHORT DURATION DISCUSSION (RULE-193)
Title: India's position with regard to Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) (Contd. - Concluded).
Text:
1518 hrs.
1518 hrs. (Shri P.M. Sayeed in the Chair)
Sir, India always stood for global disarmament. India is the champion of world peace. We not only preach non-violence but we have put it into practice. We are opposed to any type of nuclear warfare which is detrimental to the whole humanity and the whole human race. Our commitment to peace and total disarmament cannot be questioned by anyone. It cannot be altered by anyone on this earth.
But at the same time, as my learned friends were mentioning here, we cannot agree to the Draft on CTBT. This is only a second instalment of NPT and this has not at all achieved any serious comprehensive test ban. This is only a partial one and this is only to help or only to assist the promoters of CTBT such as, the United States, the United Kingdom, Russia, China and France.
Even Russia and China had initially got certain doubts in their minds, but now they have also changed their position. Now they are blaming India as the spoiler of this Treaty. We cannot accept this position because India, in all the world fora have been consistently demanding dismantling or disbanding of nuclear warfare.
Sir, in all the world fora, India raised its voice for world peace. So the contention of China is not at all acceptable. India is not a spoiler of this Treaty. India wants a global disarmament provided that Treaty should be a comprehensive one.
India never accepted NPT, that everybody knows. That NPT could not move this whole world to disarmament.
India wants that nuclear weapons should be banned within a timeframe. That timeframe should be fixed; that calender should be fixed. I do not know why they are not agreeing to this. The CTBT comments only on the explosion part. This is not an answer to all these issues. The research, design and test of nuclear weapons should be banned. That is the most important thing. Even they are doing the test in the sea or some other places in the land but the United States of America and other powerful nations in the world are equipped with sophisticated weapons so that they can do this test in their laboratories. Even they can do it in their laboratories. So by merely banning the test in the air or in the sea will not help.
The developed countries wanted to strengthen their nuclear arsenals. That is their entire effort. Even now there are examples that the United States of America is testing this in the laboratory. Unfortunately, the CTBT draft which is prepared is only covering the explosion part. The promoters of the CTBT have got enough infrastructure so that they will be able to test according to their convenience. This is definitely a trick which is being played on the developing countries, especially, the threshold countries like India, Pakistan, Israel and other under-developed countries. The present Treaty will not shut down (1) any weapons laboratory, (2) reduce the personnel in those installations, and (3) no skilled scientist will sit idle. Then what is the meaning of a Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty? The research, design and test will continue according to the convenience of the major nuclear powers in the world. The whole world cannot go according to their directions. The whole world cannot succumb to their pressure. The USA has already conducted 1000 tests so far.
It is very interesting that the so called China which is going to sign the CTBT, is requesting India and other threshold countries to sign this CTBT draft. On 29th July, China successfully conducted a nuclear test. I will read the first paragraph of the statement, dated 29th July 1996 of the Government of Peoples' Republic of China. It states, "The Government of the Peoples' Republic of China hereby solemnly declare that it will start a moratorium on nuclear weapons testing effective from 30th July, 1996." I do not want to go into the details. They have successfully conducted a test on 29th July 1996. What is the use of this Test Ban Treaty? This is not comprehensive. China, which is going to sign in this Treaty, has conducted a test successfully on 29th July.
By 2000 AD, the USA would have 50 per cent of the total world arms market. America will control 50 per cent of the total arms market in the world when we are reaching 20th century. We are on the threshold of the 21st century. Where will the developing countries and those who are suffering from poverty and other social evils go?
Sir, I want to mention one or two very important issues. In the beginning of 1996, there were some 21,000 operations of nuclear weapons in the world.
Nearly ninety-five per cent of the world's nuclear weapons are in the possession of the United States and Russia. These nuclear weapon States - the United States, Russia, France, China and the United Kingdom - are saying that they are not going to reduce their nuclear arsenals. Actually speaking, they want to strengthen their nuclear arsenals through new technologies that they are developing and the new inventions that they are making. I have enough examples to substantiate this but I will not do that because of shortage of time.
The security of the Indian sub-continent is the most important thing. But India's security problem is completely ignored. India is a neighbour of three nuclear weapon States - Russia, China and Pakistan. China and Russia have arrived at an understanding for exchange of defence equipment and technology. Nuclear missile transfers of China and Pakistan are well-known to everybody. In this august House itself, in the previous Lok Sabha, that is, in the Tenth Lok Sabha, I myself raised the point with regard to the former Premier of Pakistan, Nawaz Sharief's statement on the Pakistani bomb. He had rightly pointed out that Pakistan possesses a nuclear bomb. Nobody has refuted this charge. They have a secret understanding with China and Russia also. So, the security of the Indian sub-continent is in peril. Therefore, we have to be very cautious about this.
The U.S. Administration is the solitary superpower and the main promoter of CTBT. They wanted to put all types of pressures on India. As rightly pointed out by Shri George Fernandes yesterday, there was a statement from the United States of America which is totally condemnable. We cannot accept their position.
MR. CHAIRMAN (SHRI P.M. SAYEED): Please conclude now.
SHRI RAMESH CHENNITHALA: They are saying that this is a political treaty, so they want to to get through the Treaty on political basis. That means, they want to threaten India. They also want to threaten other threshold States. They want to see that this Treaty is through. My request to the hon. Minister is that India cannot accept this position. We have to oppose and defeat it. India should oppose, defeat and veto this Treaty. CTBT cannot be enforced in the interest of the country.
MR. CHAIRMAN: Now please conclude.
SHRI RAMESH CHENNITHALA: I shall quote one sentence and conclude. The Green Peace is one of the very reputed NGOs in America. They say that if the five nuclear weapon States, China, France, U.K., Russia and U.S.A., want India to support the Treaty, they should make a commitment not to develop, produce or deploy nuclear weapons to seek greater nuclear disarmament. It is their own organisation in America which is saying this. My request to the hon. Minister is that he should kindly take the opinion of the entire House, cutting across the party lines. The people of India are with the Government. They solemnly affirm their faith in the Government on this issue. I think we have to give a befitting reply to the U.S. Administration and protect the interests of our country, that is, India. Thank you, Sir.
(ends)
1529 hours
All the countries of the world have appreciated the peace movement of India and the foreign policy of India.
1530 hours (Prof. Rita Verma in the Chair)
Sir, the foreign policy of India has been appreciated by all peace-loving countries of the world. So, as one of the leaders of the peace movement and decolonisation movement, India 50 years back took the lead in calling for a ban on nuclear testing and total elimination of nuclear weapons.
SHRI NITISH KUMAR (BARH):
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SHRI AJAY CHAKRABORTY (BASIRHAT):Sir, India made an utmost effort to convince the whole world for the need for C.T.B.T., for the peace of the world. But now, at present, it is a paramount question, very much a fundamental question and a basic question whether India will subscribe to C.T.B.T. in its present form. Certainly, India cannot subscribe to C.T.B.T. in its present form. India should remain opposed to a global nuclear test ban treaty unless there is a substantive change of the latest draft of the document.
I support and appreciate the stand which was taken by our prudent Minister of External Affairs in the A.R.F. Security Group meeting. It is reported that there is no change in the draft. In that case, India should not sign the document until the five declared nuclear powers decide to totally eliminate the nuclear weapons.
India should not, rather must not, change its stand regarding signing the C.T.B.T. We want C.T.B.T. But that should be a real, truly comprehensive C.T.B.T. The proposition is that in the draft of the C.T.B.T., it should be incorporated and ensured that from now on all the nuclear tests must be banned, even the powers possessing the nuclear weapons would have to abide by them and big powers must destroy their existing stockpiles.
The C.T.B.T. may resolve that those who do not destroy any nuclear weapons would have to undertake by giving a pledge that they would never go in for any nuclear weapon test. This means that the existing disparity between powers possessing nuclear weapons and those who are not possessing nuclear weapons should end. It is for the Government of a self-respecting country like ours to desist from signing the C.T.B.T. The question is why should we choose to be isolated. It is an age-old rule that those who possess the nuclear weapons are entitled to use it and nobody else. In fact we cannot endorse it and we cannot accept the text in its present form. We have every right to safeguard our national security and national interest. Unless and until the big powers, particularly America, destroy the nuclear stockpiles and totally eliminate the nuclear weapons they have no right to give us advice to sign the C.T.B.T. Until and unless they have given up their aggressive attitude to the poor countries they have no right to give their advice. We are not obliging the big powers. We have every right to make nuclear weapons for safeguarding our country and for the national security of our country and it is a question of our sovereign right.
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