Letters to the Editor: Ukraine crisis

Ukraine crisis

The present Ukraine-Russia crisis was dominating Geo Politics for last three months and has now taken the form of a war, bringing the world to brink of World War 3. If we analyse why Ukraine is important or why Ukraine matters, then we shall find that Ukraine is very rich in mineral resources, apart from being one of the biggest countries in Europe on territorial basis with 41 million highly-educated people strongly motivated to work. Ukraine ranks first in Europe in recoverable reserves of Uranium ore, 2nd in Europe and 10th worldwide in Titanium ore reserves. Like the aforementioned materials, the East European country is rich in manganese ore and iron ore (2nd in the world), mercury ores, shale gas reserves and coal. On the agricultural front, Ukraine is an agricultural country. It ranks first in Europe in terms of arable land, 3rd in the world by the area of black soil. Ukraine is also producer of wheat (known as wheat basket of the world, 8th in wheat exports in the world), sunflower and sunflower oil, barley, chicken eggs, cheese, corn, potatoes, rye products, bee products etc. Ukraine is also highly industrialized. It is 2nd in Europe and 4th in the world in natural gas pipeline system, 3rd in Europe and 8th in the world in installed nuclear power plants capacity. Apart from these, Ukraine is a major producer of locators and location equipment, turbines, rocket launchers, clay exports, Defence products and steel. That is Ukraine and Putin's passion.

Vladimir Putin played a smart game by fuelling civil protests in the region of Donetsk People's Republic and Luthansk People's Republic. Huge demand escalated in these two places, especially in Donbas, to join Russia by breaking away from Ukraine. The Ukrainian Government made the biggest mistake by using force against peaceful protestors and they fell into Putin's gameplan. Criticizing the 'Suppression of Citizens' Freedom', he struck unexpectedly and annexed Crimea.

Do we realise why PM Modi did not use force against the so-called 'Farmers Protest'? He did not want to see Punjab turned into battlefield and draw the attention of the world. The whole 'Farmers Protests' was sponsored by ISI, Khalistanis and other anti-national forces.

Coming back to Ukraine, US, NATO and EU staged strong protests against annexation of Crimea. Sanctions were imposed on Russia but Putin did not budge. Instead, he intensified the civil protests in Donetsk and Luthansk. Ukraine wanted to become member of NATO and Putin used his exact reason to mount military pressure, saying NATO accepting Ukraine as its member will endanger its security and sovereignty and it got US and NATO into panic mode. Hectic parleys between US plus NATO and Russia started, some fissures appeared as Germany and France took a stand against NATO.

All said and done, we can conclude that the Russia-Ukraine conflict occurred due to inefficient leadership of USA. Secondly, India under PM Narendra Modi is playing a smart game in this hour of crisis. Finally, let us hope and pray the war ends and issues are solved through diplomatic talks.

Julie Bhuyan,

Gaurisagar.

A villainous character

A CBI court in Ranchi on Monday (21.02.2022) sentenced RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav to 5 years' rigorous imprisonment and also slapped a fine of Rs 60 lakh in the fifth and last fodder scam. The court also sentenced 39 others to rigorous imprisonment varying from 3 to 5 years with a total fine of Rs 11.93 crore (approx). Lalu Yadav was the Chief Minister of united Bihar from 1990 to July, 1997 when he was forced to resign as he had already been indicted in five fodder scams in 1996 related to fraudulent withdrawal of money from Deogarh, Chaibasha, Dumka and Doranda treasuries involving over a total of Rs 224.48 crore (approx). Earlier, in four other fodder scam cases he got a total jail term of 14 years and slapped penalty of Rs 60 lakh. Aside from this, Lalu Yadav, his wife and two MLA sons and one daughter, a Rajya Sabha MP, are facing probe agencies over multiple scams, including disproportionate assets and tax evasion cases; which are Indian Railway tender scam booked by CBI in 2005, Delight Properties benami Rs 45 crore booked by ED 2017, AB Exports benami assets Rs 40 crore booked by ED 2017 and Patna Zoo soil scam related to alleged purchase of soil worth more than Rs 90 lakh from a firm associated with his son Tej Pratap leaked in 2017 being probed by State Vigilance Bureau. It has to be pointed out that he had remained the de facto Chief Minister of the State from July 1997 to 2005 after awkwardly nominating his wife, a simple illiterate homemaker, to the post. His crime records revealed that he got multiple prison terms from 1985 to 2018.

The above revelations read like an ignominious record of a crime lord. Basically being a villainous character, and unstinted support he received over these years from a syndicate, as it were, of the pariwar-vadi parties, Lalu Yadav felt no qualms to yield to immorality and betrayal of public trust. In the garb of a politician, Lalu Yadav has been dominating the national politics in general and the State of Bihar in particular for nearly 45 years. He was elected a Member of Lok Sabha in 1977; became the Railways Minister in the UPA Government, 2004-09. Despite his long record of corruptions and scandals involving his family as well, Lalu Yadav manipulated politics in his favour and stayed in the corridor of power. Besides, a media lobby, both print and electronic, has hugely touted his political career as a fire-brand secular leader; while continuous adulation and sympathy poured on him by the secular cabal. Last but not the least, reservation system and politics has catapulted him to the overnight fame.

Criminalization of politics is a major issue of concern in the Indian politics. The misuse and abuse of political power for personal gains by the corrupt politicians has greatly dented development of India. A comprehensive amendment of the Representation of the People Act is urgently needed to shun nexus between crime and politics as also protect security and integrity of the country.

Pannalal Dey,

Guwahati .