New Delhi: Former DRDO scientist K Santhanam
today demanded setting up of an independent expert panel to
look into the data of Pokhran-II and hit out at National
Security Adviser M K Narayanan for questioning his knowledge
about the 1998 nuclear tests.
Santhanam, who had raised doubts over the success of the
thermonuclear test, said Narayanan had given "misleading"
statement over 1998 explosions as he was not NSA at that time.
Taking objection to Narayanan's claim that he did not
have access to the data generated by the nuclear tests,
Santhanam said "the NSA is barking up the wrong tree".
He rejected Naryanan's contention that the review of the
thermonuclear test by the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC)
should set at rest all doubts on the efficacy of the nuclear
explosion.
Santhanam, who was the DRDO co-ordinator for the 1998
nuclear tests, said there was a "strong and clear" need to
form a group of stalwarts and give them access to all the
relevant data.
"Only then will the credibility (about the assessment of
the tests) be increased... AEC and BARC cannot be judge and
jury, more so when the issue relates to their claims of the
thermonuclear yield," he said at an interaction at the Indian
Women Press Corps here.
Santhanam also contested government claims that
radiochemical analysis of the thermonuclear device location
had proved that the test was a success.
"I would love to see the radiochemical data, the
instruments used and the calibration done," he said suggesting
that the details about it were not made available to
scientists.
He said there were claims that Manganese-54 was detected
but its quantity was not known. "DRDO was not given access to
the data," the former DRDO scientist said.
On the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT), Santhanam
said the international pressure on India to sign the pact
would increase and hence a few more tests should be conducted
to refine the nuclear devices.
Commenting on the consequences of conducting more nuclear
tests, he said that "the pain will not be as unbearable as
painted in some sections of the government".
On expectations from the government, Santhanam said,
"There is a view on the nuclear tests of 1998. Please factor
this view before taking any decision."
Asked about BJP policy on nuclear matters, he said the
nuclear scientists had been told by the BJP-led government
to be prepared for conducting atomic tests.
Santhanam said the scientists had welcomed the decision
as it had saved the nuclear design group from closing down.
Bureau Report
First Published: Monday, September 21, 2009, 23:38