Burying political differences, Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has offered her “unconditional support” to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the crisis in Ukraine.
In a letter to the Prime Minister, Mamata asserted that the country stands united with regard to the evacuation of the distressed Indian nationals, particularly students, in war-torn Ukraine.
“I would request you to accept my unconditional support during the ongoing international crisis and to consider whether you will like to have an all party meeting now for consolidating our national resolve to come out of the crisis with our head held high,” Mamata wrote on Monday.
“Being the largest democracy in the world, India must take lead to offer a peaceful solution to the world, and we must offer it undaunted and unhesitant,” she said.
On May 2 last year, Mamata scripted history by single-handedly pulling off a landslide victory in the state elections for the third time in a row, bucking anti-incumbency and staving off a massive challenge from Modi’s ruling BJP.
“… (But) In times of grave international crisis we keep aside our domestic disagreements to stand united as a nation. We do this to make sure that our dignity as a nation is unchallenged and unviolated.
“We do this to ensure that the principles on which we conduct our foreign affairs continue to be stable in the global arena,” the Bengal CM wrote.
India has already started evacuating its nationals from Ukraine.
Last week, Prime Minister Modi urged Russian President Vladimir Putin to immediately halt military action against Ukraine, underscoring the need for a diplomatic solution to the standoff.
This was after Ukraine’s envoy in Delhi sought Modi’s intervention in ending the Russian offensive.
“Modi ji is one of the most powerful, respected world leaders. You have a privileged, strategic relation with Russia. If Modiji speaks to Putin we are hopeful he’ll respond,” Ukraine’s Ambassador Igor Polikha told the local media on Thursday.
“India should be much more actively engaged, given the privileged relation India has with Russia. Not just for our safety, but of your own citizen’s safety too, we need intervention of India.”
An estimated 15,000 Indians are said to be currently in Ukraine.
Source: United News of Bangladesh