Scientists need to reassure army on H-bomb yield: V P Malik

New Delhi, Sep 6 (PTI) With some scientists questioning
the efficacy of the hydrogen bomb tested in Pokhran over a
decade ago, former Army chief V P Malik has said the armed
forces need to be "reassured" by the nuclear establishment on
the exact yield of the weapons developed by them.

"They need to be reassured about the weapon system they
use and about the planning of what kind of the yield they
have when they hit the target," Malik, the Chief of the Armed
Forces during the Pokhran-II nuclear tests, told Karan Thapar
on the Devil's Advocate programme of CNN-IBN.

Terming the recent comments of former DRDO scientist K
Santhanam, questioning the yield of the thermonuclear device
tested on May 11, 1998 as "shocking", he said doubts over the
efficacy of the weapon affects the armed forces.

"Yes, it affects the armed forces. Particularly, because,
when they plan the task given to them then they have to know
what kind of yield that each nuclear weapon has," he said
stressing that it was important to remove doubts.

Malik also dubbed as "unconvincing" former President A P
J Abdul Kalam's remarks virtually rubbishing Santhanm's claims
on the yield of the thermonuclear device tested in 1998.

"Let us not forget that Dr Santhanam was part of his
(Kalam's) team. And it came as quite a shock with Dr Santhanam
himself mentioning that it was a fizzle. Of course, again he
was referring to the thermonuclear weapon. So, Dr Kalam's
statement was not quite convincing," he said.

The former Army chief said that the team of scientists
led by then Chairman of the Atomic Energy commission R
Chidambaram should reassure the armed forces on the yield of
the weapons.

"You can convince people only through the scientists,
particularly those who participated in this exercise. I am
referring to Dr Chidambaram and his whole team from the Atomic
Energy Commission.

"I don't think we can be convinced easily by people
who are not scientists. This is a matter of technology and
these are the people who can discuss and reassure you," Malik
said.

Asked whether he found Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's
remarks on the controversy convincing, Malik said "well that
was a political statement. In things like this, particularly
for the armed forces, they have to be convinced by people who
have developed these weapons."

He said the reassurance by nuclear scientists need not be
in the form of a public debate but can be done privately.

Malik, who is credited with the victory in the Kargil
war, termed as "worrying" reports about Pakistan stepping up
nuclear weapons programme and modifying the Harpoon missiles
acquired from the US.

"It is not only the low intensity conflict but even the
ongoing proxy war may get extended because they are so
reassured, so confident that we will not be able to do
anything, even Kargil-type incursions can take place," he said
about perceptions that Pakistan had gained confidence with the
steady build up in its arsenal. PTI SKU
JVN


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