Jairam Ramesh Slams BJP Over SHANTI Bill, Claims Provisions Contradict 2010 Nuclear Law

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Thursday strongly criticized the BJP-led government over the provisions of the Sustainable Harnessing and Advancement of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India Bill, 2025 (SHANTI Bill), alleging that it contradicted the stance of former leaders Arun Jaitley and Jaswant Singh during the enactment of the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act, 2010.

Speaking in the Rajya Sabha, Ramesh accused the Modi government of prioritizing acronyms over policy substance. "They appear to coin acronyms first and draft policies later. Examples like ‘SHANTI’ and ‘G RAMG’ illustrate this trend," he said.

Ramesh highlighted decades of progress in India’s atomic energy sector and challenged the government’s narrative that major developments began only after 2014. He cited the first Atomic Energy Bill of 1948 and the establishment of the Atomic Energy Commission in the same year, accusing the BJP of attempting to rewrite history.

He further argued that the SHANTI Bill marked a policy U-turn and criticized the government for not fully utilizing India’s vast thorium resources, urging it to heed suggestions from nuclear expert Anil Kakodkar. Ramesh also emphasized the importance of encouraging domestic private players rather than relying on foreign companies for nuclear projects.

Responding to the debate, Science and Technology Minister Jitendra Singh defended the bill, asserting that safety provisions had not been diluted. He stated that the legislation aims to repeal the Atomic Energy Act, 1962, and the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act, 2010, while increasing nuclear energy’s share in India’s energy mix, facilitating innovation, expanding non-power applications, and maintaining compliance with safety and liability obligations.

Singh outlined India’s long-term targets of achieving energy independence, decarbonizing the economy by 2070, and reaching 100 GW of nuclear power capacity by 2047. He said the bill also aims to strengthen India’s contribution to the global nuclear energy ecosystem.

Opposition members urged the bill be referred to a select or standing committee, citing its far-reaching implications and alleging dilution of liability clauses. Singh countered, noting that extensive consultations with stakeholders, industry leaders, scientific experts, and startups had already been conducted over more than a year, emphasizing that the bill is part of India’s broader nuclear energy ecosystem, including small modular reactors.

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