Promote education, not nuclear weapons: Dr Mitra

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, December 25

Now, it is time that India shuns nuclear weapons and takes initiative to convince nuclear weapons states to join the Treaty Prohibiting Nuclear Weapons to phase out these weapons of mass destruction to save the earth.

This was said by Dr Arun Mitra, Co-President IPPNW ( International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War) while addressing a seminar on Nobel Peace Prize to ICAN – Tasks Ahead at Circuit House.

The seminar was attended by doctors, teachers, lawyers, women, students, youth and social activists participated in this seminar organised jointly by Indian Doctors for Peace and Development (IDPD) and Social Thinkers Forum

Dr Mitra said that in order to sensitise the young generation about the dangers of the nuclear weapons, in addition to the episodes of bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, there should be mention about other facts such as the treaties to prevent proliferation of the nuclear weapons in the world.

He said while there have been the UN resolutions to stop the use of nuclear weapons, but nine countries including India continue to expand their nuclear arsenal, which not only threatens to cause irreparable destruction , but crore of rupees are being spent on these weapons, which can rather be used on health and education.

MS Bhatia, Co-convener Social Thinkers Forum, agreed that there was a need for schoolchildren and youth aware about the efforts made so far to stop the use of nuclear weapons.

Expressing joy at the award as a recognition to the anti- nuclear movement, Dr Mitra said, it was time to not just rejoice the award, but for commitment to work hard to make all nine nuclear weapons states join the treaty prohibiting nuclear weapons (TPNW) passed by the UN General Assembly in July this year. The ICAN was launched as a group of various peace movements around the world on April 23, 2007, to build a broad based movement for nuclear disarmament.