The five tests conducted by Pakistan ... is not a vindication of the policy adopted by the BJP-led government ... but an inevitable confirmation of how wrong has been the reversal of India's longstanding nuclear policy. It has undone the progress in establishing good neighbourly relations with our neighbours and securing peace in the region. The shortsighted step taken by the Vajpayee government and the reaction of the Pakistan government is leading to the step by step escalation in the nuclear arms race in the subcontinent and its attendant tensions.

Such a course is harmful to the peoples of both countries and will only serve to divert attention and resources from the pressing and massive problems of poverty and underdevelopment in both India and Pakistan ... Any move to whip up tensions will only hamper and retard the prospects of economic and social progress of both countries.

The Vajpayee government should not seek to rouse national chauvinism in a sensitive issue like nuclear weapons. It should immediately open a dialogue with the Pakistani government to defuse tensions (and evolve) a national consensus ... on the following basis.

(a) India should not go for weaponisation and the Vajpayee government must not make or deploy nuclear weapons;

(b) The government should immediately declare no first-use of nuclear weapons;

(c) The government should not proceed towards signing the CTBT:

(d) India should step up effort for universal nuclear disarmament .. (Source: The New Age)