PUNE: Underlining the necessity for a national consensus on policies to protect the fragile environment, senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Murli Manohar Joshi asserted that the central government should not buckle under unfair pressures of developed nations on carbon emissions.

Joshi was part of the Indian delegation to Copenhagen Climate Summit. On a personal visit to the city on Saturday, he spoke to select mediapersons on the climate change issue and its impact on the country's future.

Though decisions of the Copenhagen Summit are not binding on India, agreeing to provision of "international consultation and analysis" of efforts to reduce carbon emissions would compromise its sovereignty, he said.

He added, “US and Europe are responsible for environment degradation. They have caused more damage to the world climate than all the rest of the countries put together.”

“Yet, US is reluctant to reduce carbon emissions and tries to twist the arms of developing nations,” said Joshi

Joshi insisted that India should strictly adhere to its principle of common and differential responsibility of climate change and should not make a commitment on reduction in carbon emissions before developed nations do so.

The BJP leader, however, drew attention to the terrible effects of climate change and underlined the necessity of a national consensus on environmental policies. He said, “Political parties should frame and adhere to policies to protect the environment. They should not meddle with them to  shield or benefit any industry or business. The cost of environment must be added to the price of the product. On the same lines, imported products which have caused or are likely to cause more pollution should have heavy import duties. Schools should have environmental brigades to create awareness on hazards of climate change.”

‘RSS NOT DICTATING TERMS’On the political front, BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi reiterated that Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) was not dictating terms to BJP. When asked whether the appointment of Nitin Gadkari as party president should be seen as beginning of restructuring of the party by RSS, Joshi said, “RSS has always upheld principles of morality and sanctity in politics. Whenever it feels that adherence to these principles is going below a certain level, it steps in. BJP shares umbilical relations with RSS. However, it does not mean that RSS is imposing decisions on us.”