Letters to the Editor: What use is the UNO?

WHAT USE IS THE UNO?

Apropos the article ‘Does the world need the United Nations?’ by Nilova Roy Chaudhury (NHS, March 6), the points raised by the author are very pertinent. From Palestine to Iraq and Syria and from Crimea to Ukraine, the mighty United Nations Security Council has failed stop aggression and terrible human rights violations by its powerful P-5 members. As the author rightly observes, “The grant of a veto to the five permanent members of UNSC was intended to prevent misuse of international laws by member states. Unfortunately, over the decades, it has served only to uphold the interests of the P-5 members.” Now, the aggression by Russia has brought the world to the brink of another world war.

Syed Shujat Hussain, Bhopal

EVM ‘THEFT’& ECI’S EXCUSES

The discovery of a truckload of EVMs in Varanasi and polling material in garbage trucks in Bareilly a day ahead of the counting of votes in Uttar Pradesh has raised serious questions over the functioning of the Election Commission. Whenever such EVMs are found, the ECI gives the excuse that either these were spare EVMs or they were meant for training purpose. Over the last 7-8 years, we haven’t heard of any strict action taken against any senior official for breach of ECI’s guidelines and protocol for handling the EVMs. What does this show? It’s time all the stakeholders do some rethinking over the composition of ECI and appointment of Election commissioners.

Subhajit Dasgupta, Ghaziabad

WHAT WILL MIDDLE CLASS DO?

Experts are warning that fuel prices will skyrocket after the results of the recently concluded state assembly elections come out on March 10. The Russia-Ukraine war has created another energy crisis and crude oil prices are going berserk. On top of that, we have a government at the Centre that believes in fleecing its people to fund its ambitions. When petrol and diesel were being retailed at around Rs.100 when the crude was around $70 a barrel, what would the consumers have to shell out when its touches $140-$150 or even higher? Can we expect any relief from this government?

Rahul Vats, Delhi

GOVERNANCE NOW, PLEASE

Elections to the five states, including the crucial Uttar Pradesh are over. Over the last two months, our prime minister has been doing events after events and rallies after rallies in UP. The National Herald and others have pointed out that each of PM’s programmes costs a bomb to the exchequer. This is public money that is being splurged on the promotion of a personality and a party. May we humbly request the PM now to give attention to the governance too as the country is staring at tough times ahead on the economic front?

J.S. Randhawa, Mohali

(This was first published in National Herald on Sunday)