Letters to THE EDITOR

The invention of COVID vaccine brightened 2021

The COVID vaccination will be launched in India from January 13, ending the long wait. In the last one year, the COVID riots have proved how helpless people are to climb the peak of civilization. At last the triumph of science has begun to fly. The country's drug controller has given the green signal that the Covshield vaccine made by Oxford and Astrajeneka in England and the Covaxin of Bharat Biotech can prevent the disease. That said, this vaccine is absolutely safe. It's hoped that this vaccine will reduce the risk to humans. The Government has announced that it is launching a new app on social media to make the immunization programme more effective. The whole process is the result of the goodwill of the Government and the sincere efforts of the scientists. While this positive news is trying to allay people's fears, Britain is seeing a new species of corona. The situation in England has escalated in recent weeks with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson cancelling all his foreign tours and announcing a nationwide lockdown. There was no other way, he said. He described the new species of coronavirus as polymorphic. According to him, in order to control the same, human beings have to suffer a little more. He appealed to the people of the country to spend their days at home to save their own lives. At any stage of the situation in a country, a Prime Minister who himself was infected with the virus could make such a call to his countrymen. This is because in our country too, the Government and the people were not aware of the corona attack at the very beginning of last year, nor did they pay much attention to it. But in March, when the situation was getting out of hand, action was taken. As a result, the national economy has reached a new level of stability, just as public life has suffered. Government and non-government figures acknowledge that millions of people have lost their livelihoods, both directly and indirectly. Already about one and a half million people have died in the corona claws. Millions of people who have recovered have become physically unwell. In the background, the current situation in England can't be ignored. Coronavirus has already been found in the bodies of several passengers from England. It's not possible for anyone to guarantee that they have not been infected. Regrettably, Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself has advised caution wherever the vaccine comes from, but his own party is not heeding Modi's caution, given the politics of the vote. The same is true of the Opposition. As a result, it's not possible for anyone to guarantee that the situation will not change in the future. Therefore, vigilance is the main precaution in this case. We as Indian citizens want exactly that.

Heramba Nath,

Kamrup.

A strong message to Opposition

A former Pakistani diplomat has asserted that India killed 300 terrorists in the Balakot airstrikes that took place on February 26, 2019. The pre-dawn airstrike was carried out by the Indian Air Force at a Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terror training camp at Balakot in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. Pakistani diplomat Agha Hilaly mentioned that India crossed the international border and did an act of war in which at least 300 were reported dead. This confession is an appropriate message to the questions raised on the airstrike by the Congress and other Opposition parties. Hope that all the political parties should keep faith in the Army and Government in circumstances like the security of the nation and cooperate to boost the morale of our soldiers.

Amit Singh Kushwaha,

Satna (M.P.)

Serious claim by ISRO scientist

Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO), Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) etc., are some of the Indian institutions which attract regular international attention due to their extraordinary achievements in innovating cutting edge technologies despite limited resources. But, recently on 5th January, 2021, ISRO has come into the news when a senior ISRO scientist Tapan Misra has made a serious claim through a Facebook post titled Long Kept Secret. He has alleged that he was poisoned with deadly arsenic trioxide on 23rd May, 2017 during a promotion interview held at ISRO headquarters in Bengaluru. Besides, he has also alleged that he fortunately survived other 'assassination attempts' on his life in the following times. Tapan Misra has also hinted of having some loopholes in ISRO so that such incidents happen and he requested the Government of India to carry out an investigation on the incidents. He has also dug out the sudden and suspicious deaths of former top ISRO scientists like Professor Vikram Sarabhai and Dr S Srinivasan and stressed to bring the issue in public domain to save other scientists' future.

This action of Tapan Misra has unfolded some previous mysterious deaths and espionage attacks on scientists of ISRO and other top Indian research institutions who were involved in very important projects related to nuclear fields or defence. Many experts and senior scientists also opine about the involvement of international conspiracy in such cases where top Indian scientists are targeted to halt the way for India to become a superpower. Eventually, the whole events make a wake-up call to tighten the security for our scientists so that they can work for our country in a safe and secured environment.

Phanindra Barman,

Nalbari.

Questioning judiciary

On 7th January, 2021 the Gauhati High Court refused bail petition of KMSS leader Akhil Gogoi. Immediately, a hue and cry was raised by Akhil Gogoi's supporters against the government. Everyone understands that the judiciary is completely an independent body, and the government has no control or right over it. Out of the four pillars of democracy, judiciary is the most trustable. Our judicial system has over the years been the saviour of the country on many occasions. When the political system has failed us it is judiciary which has bailed us. It is absurd to call judiciary an agent of the government. We all remember the historic judgement of decades-long Ram Janmabhoomi. Both the parties accepted the judgement with smile on the face. The judicial system may take a bit longer time but the system has stood with the truth. Coming to Akhil Gogoi's case, a section is blaming Chief Minister Sorbanananda Sonowal. Some educated leaders of Raijor Dol and AJP misleading the public and their cadres by saying Sorbanananda Sonowal is responsible for rejection of Akhil Gogoi's bail. If leaders like Lurinjyoti Gogoi (at least not expected from him), Bhaswati Saikia, Sringkhol Chaliha, Kamal Medhi, and others don't have that much of knowledge then they should quit public platform. If politicizing the issue is their motto than its alright.

Purabi Miri,

Jakhalabandha.

Dr. Jekyll and Mr Hyde

The sinister character of Dr. Jekyll and Hyde about whom we have read in the past very interestingly seems to be present in our own state in the name of Akhil Gogoi. The KMSS leader needs no introduction allegedly as a selfish and self-styled leader of peasants. It is another question whether Akhil Gogoi is truly a peasant leader or not. He is better known as "professional blackmailer" who is behind the bars for his act of treason against the country. Akhil Gogoi is certainly an interesting character. He is altogether a different person in daytime and completely a different creature at night. A question arises as to why he has been elected as the president of Raijor Dol, when understandably a few competent persons were there in the think-tank group. The 'jajabor' of state politics Kamal Medhi has too joined Raijor Dol as he allegedly failed to get sweet grapes in his former party.

Aparna Sarma Chowdhury,

Guwahati.

Death sentence

It refers to Supreme Court on 08.01.2021 directing Central government to decide before 26.01.2021 on the plea seeking commutation of the death penalty of Balwant S Rajoana who has been convicted in the assassination case of former Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh. Only plea of the convict was over-delay of about eight years in deciding mercy petition for killing the then Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh and 16 others in the year 1995.

Legal process should be tightened for a time-bound final decision by Supreme Court say in three years after the crime attracting death sentence is committed giving one year to trial court, one year to High Court and finally one year to Supreme Court for final decisions. No review petition against Supreme Court verdict should be allowed with the President finally taking decision on mercy petition within three months of its filing and hanging if so decided to be done within three months of rejection of mercy petition. A death sentence convict should file mercy petition within three months of Supreme Court verdict. Only such time-bound process at all stages can create fear psychosis against crimes attracting death sentence for drastic reduction in such horrible crimes.

But an extremely poor, illiterate and insane person Ramchandra (Raoji) created an Indian record for being hanged within less than three years of committing the crime with the President of India mercilessly rejecting his mercy petition within record six days of filing as it was wrongly drafted by a fellow illiterate prisoner. It was a murder by system where even Supreme Court overlooked that motive of murder of own family was not proved by the insane person.

Subhash Chandra Agrawal,

Delhi.