Kalam doesn't know a thing: Homi Sethna

NEW DELHI: The row over Pokhran II is still raging with Homi Nusserwanji Sethna, the guiding force behind Pokhran-I, questioning credentials of former president APJ Abdul Kalam to speak on Pokhran-II tests. Mr Sethna said the former president was no qualified authority to criticise former Defence Research & Development Organisation scientist K Santhanam���s claims that the 1998 Pokhran-II test was a ���fizzle.���

���What did he (Kalam) know about extracting, making explosive grade? He didn���t know a thing. By being a president, he appeared to wear the stature. He relied on atomic energy to gain additional stature,��� Sethna told a TV channel.Mr Kalam had said the only thrmonuclear device (hydrogen bomb) tested in 1998 produced the ���desired yield���.

Contesting the claims of Mr Santhanam that the yield in Pokhran-II was lower than what was claimed, Mr Kalam had said that there was no need for fresh tests. ���There was a detailed review, based on the two experimental results: first, the seismic measurement close to the site and, second, radioactive measurement of the material after post-shot drill on the test site. It has been established by the project team that the design yield of the thermo-nuclear test has been obtained,��� Mr Kalam had said.

Mr Sethna, who attacked the statements of politicians on the controversy, said they should not intervene in scientific matters. ���I don���t like politicians, especially lay politicians, to interfere any more. I firmly believe that they should stay out. When we did the test... the first test, there was no politician. It was a raw one.

We were lucky that the whole thing collapsed,��� he said. Last week end, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had come out against Mr Santhanam���s statement. ���A wrong impression has been given by some scientists which is needless. Mr Kalam has clarified that the tests were successful,��� Mr Singh had said.