Opinion Irrigated field day

The full page report in Orgainser describes the investment of Rs 70,000 crore in irrigation and another Rs 40,000 crore on repair of dams as “brazen loot” by the Congress-NCP.

Underlining that while the popular narrative of Ajit Pawar’s resignation has been the tussle within the “uncle-nephew Pawar team”,the report claims the development is part of a “strategy to make a last-ditch attempt to put Chief Minister of Maharashtra Prithviraj Chavan in his place”,because he has been “raking up various scandals to corner the NCP”. The report also claims that the uncle-nephew tussle is only for “public consumption” as “there are massive financial scandals brewing in the background from which both might be seeking to escape”.

Given that an RTI activist has come down against BJP president Nitin Gadkari,claiming that he made efforts to suppress the irrigation scam expose,the article laments the role of NGOs using the information received through RTI to get “best deals” for them.

“Many of the NGOs,who have suddenly struck gold in these land scandals,are no less culpable. They buy land near the newly irrigated regions of the dams after having scoured through RTI responses to find the best deals,” says the article,despite acknowledging the role of NGOs in exposing “land scandals in which the Pawars have got embroiled” over the last few years.

Gilgit-Baltistan

The latest issue of Panchjanya has sought to draw attention towards what it calls a fresh trick from the Pakistan government to declare Gilgit-Baltistan as one of the provinces of Pakistan,saying that the “Pakistan-controlled illegal” assembly of the region has passed a resolution to this effect last September. The article points out the issue is now with the Gilgit-Baltistan Council headed by the Pakistan prime minister,and will reach its national assembly after the council gives its approval that will pave the way for making Gilgit-Baltistan Pakistan’s fifth province.

Underlining that despite Pakistani control over the region,the courts and the constitution do not consider the region as part of Pakistan,the article fears the current move is aimed to change this permanently.

The article asserts it is the demand of all “patriotic Indians” that Delhi “object to this illegal step”,suggesting that the government tell the world about its strong objections to the move. Regretting that the government has not indicated “when and how” it is going to object to the development,it praises those members from the region and local organisations who objected to the resolution.

Sinking ship

With the cabinet reshuffle not taking place,the editorial

in Panchjanya claims the delay shows the UPA partners’ lack

of interest in continuing to ride the ruling bandwagon and,consequently,it is another example of the “disintegration of [the UPA”.

The editorial rejects suggestions that the delay is because of the inauspicious Hindu calendar and claims it’s because of the inability of UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi to get allies to close their ranks behind the government. It claims the current situation is an outcome of allies being “ignored” by the Congress.

It justifies its assessment saying that NCP chief Sharad Pawar’s remarks that Mamata Banerjee was free to take her decision is an indication that he was also “open to part ways from the UPA,if the Congress persisted with its unilateralism”. In this context,it also highlights that another UPA partner,the DMK,is reluctant to induct more ministers. The editorial claims the Congress wanted to “project unity” in the UPA through the ploy of a cabinet reshuffle. “But,nobody is ready to join this sinking ship,” argues the editorial,concluding that it is not surprising as the allies are no longer keen on sharing the blame for this allegedly “insensitive” government.

Compiled by Ravish Tiwari