New Delhi:
Under attack for the government's announcement on emission cuts, Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh on Monday assured the Rajya Sabha that the government would keep per capita emissions and historical responsibility as cornerstones while deciding just how far it can go.
The Opposition was unmoved from its stand that the government was selling out to the rich countries, with the BJP staging a walkout.
The BJP's Arun Jaitley accused the government of unilaterally changing India's stand on climate change. He said the government's strategy to disclose all cards on the eve of the summit was a bad one. He pointed out that "our disclosed cards (20-25% cut in emission) today become the baseline for our negotiations. We have raised our own baseline which was unnecessary. Today, we have no reciprocity... we are in a state of turmoil."
So vociferous was the attack in the House that Ramesh said: "I feel like an accused...am I on trail?" But he offered to come to the House at any time over the next two days, before he left for Copenhagen, to answer the queries of members.
Ramesh said the reduction had not been announced under duress. He assured the House that his proposal did not mean any external monitoring and said: "Our accountability is only to Parliament."
Ramesh said India would reject legally binding targets of any kind and would demand greater cuts from the West. He also assured the House that this was a unilateral decision and in India's interest. Also, that India would not accept any draft that suggested that "India's emissions should be so much by whatever year."
The environment minister faced much flak also for the controversial pullout by two key Indian negotiators. The negotiators did say later that they would go to Copenhagen, but not before much embarrassment was caused with the prime minister confirming his participation in the summit, thereby raising the stakes.
To questions on the differences within over India's changed climate stand, and the dissidence of the key climate negotiators, Ramesh said: "I have tried to convince the negotiators...they will be going to Copenhagen in a day or two...there is no dilution of our stand."
Left MPs D Raja, Sitaram Yechury and Brinda Karat questioned India's voluntary announcement of reductions, asking whether the country was ready to widen the gap between the rich and the poor. "The government has never publicly discussed...the government is not giving people rights...the government must be categorical in what it is going to do", D Raja said.
Ramesh said all that was being done as in the public domain. "We have nothing to hide; our country has nothing to hide."
Also read: Who stands where
Common editorial on Copenhagen
FICCI writes letter to PM over emission cuts
The Opposition was unmoved from its stand that the government was selling out to the rich countries, with the BJP staging a walkout.
The BJP's Arun Jaitley accused the government of unilaterally changing India's stand on climate change. He said the government's strategy to disclose all cards on the eve of the summit was a bad one. He pointed out that "our disclosed cards (20-25% cut in emission) today become the baseline for our negotiations. We have raised our own baseline which was unnecessary. Today, we have no reciprocity... we are in a state of turmoil."
So vociferous was the attack in the House that Ramesh said: "I feel like an accused...am I on trail?" But he offered to come to the House at any time over the next two days, before he left for Copenhagen, to answer the queries of members.
Ramesh said the reduction had not been announced under duress. He assured the House that his proposal did not mean any external monitoring and said: "Our accountability is only to Parliament."
Ramesh said India would reject legally binding targets of any kind and would demand greater cuts from the West. He also assured the House that this was a unilateral decision and in India's interest. Also, that India would not accept any draft that suggested that "India's emissions should be so much by whatever year."
The environment minister faced much flak also for the controversial pullout by two key Indian negotiators. The negotiators did say later that they would go to Copenhagen, but not before much embarrassment was caused with the prime minister confirming his participation in the summit, thereby raising the stakes.
To questions on the differences within over India's changed climate stand, and the dissidence of the key climate negotiators, Ramesh said: "I have tried to convince the negotiators...they will be going to Copenhagen in a day or two...there is no dilution of our stand."
Left MPs D Raja, Sitaram Yechury and Brinda Karat questioned India's voluntary announcement of reductions, asking whether the country was ready to widen the gap between the rich and the poor. "The government has never publicly discussed...the government is not giving people rights...the government must be categorical in what it is going to do", D Raja said.
Ramesh said all that was being done as in the public domain. "We have nothing to hide; our country has nothing to hide."
Also read: Who stands where
Common editorial on Copenhagen
FICCI writes letter to PM over emission cuts
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