The media dubs them ‘the scientists’ — a group of nuclear science specialists with public service records and now going radioactive in retirement over India’s approach to coming out of nuclear isolation. The scientists released a sort of manifesto over the weekend, doubtless so timed that the parliamentary debate that started yesterday could be suitably influenced. There’s of course nothing wrong in any concerned citizen seeking to influence a policy debate. Questions come up when those intervening seem to presume they have an a priori claim to be specially heard as well as a justification for advice that strays well beyond their self-defined remit.

Thus it is the scientists who have arrogated to themselves the responsibility of running foreign policy, as parts of their statement indicate. Even less acceptably, given that they should have really known better, the scientists’ argument seems to suggest that the question of a nuclear test is really a technocratic decision; the political leadership merely plays the role of an admiring onlooker. The nuclear doctrine is a complex play that requires several actors and the political leadership takes the ultimate call on all issues. As our oped columnist explains, the actors need to remember their roles, trying to read others’ lines is not only bad form, it also doesn’t serve your country.

The current political leadership therefore needs to send a polite but firm message. During the last round of hectic nuclear policy debate, the government, as we had argued, had accommodated the scientists more than it really needed to even by pragmatic concerns. We had then wondered about the effect of such official responses. The scientists’ latest intervention is an indication that unless the government makes it clear that policy is not up for freewheeling negotiation, a terribly avoidable precedent can be set. The scientists say the nuclear deal is bad for India. Even assuming they are right — and we have argued they aren’t — allowing groups of ex-government servants to determine policy is several times worse.