New Delhi: Global warming took over the last day of the winter session in India’s Parliament, with Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh stoutly defending the government’s actions at the Copenhagen climate summit while the opposition charged that India’s interests had been compromised.
Already facing criticism because in the Copenhagen Accord India had agreed to international “consultations and analysis” of the actions it took to mitigate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, Ramesh read out a seven-page statement in the Rajya Sabha, the upper house of Parliament, where he held that he had defended national sovereignty.
Leader of Opposition Arun Jaitley of the Bharatiya Janata Party charged that the accord was a “betrayal” of not only India’s national interests but “of all poor nations.”
Ramesh explained later at a press conference: “The US president came to us with four words — review or scrutiny or verification or assessment. Our answer was consultation and analysis, within clearly defined guidelines that would not affect national sovereignty.”
He referred to media reports quoting senior Obama administration official David Axelrod, who had said the US could now ensure that China and India now reduced their emissions.
Describing Axelrod as the “spin doctor of the US president,” Ramesh said: “Obama has not said it. He has not threatened us. Maybe Axelrod’s statement is due to domestic pressure. We needn’t worry about it.”
But the minister had sent an e-mail to Axelrod Tuesday, mentioning that his statement went against those of Obama and US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton.
In Parliament, Jaitley said: “We have a lot of concerns. We should not be seen as the fall guy, but still we should not let our interests fall.”
According to the opposition leader: “The accord says one thing and the government’s understanding is another. The government has been outwitted in the drafting of the document.”
Jaitley contended that the accord had left the door open for an attack on India’s sovereignty.
