Referring to the row between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka over the Hogenakkal project, the editorial in the current issue of Organiser urges riparian states to learn lessons from Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi and his Rajasthan counterpart Vasundhara Raje who set a “unique lesson” in inter-state cooperation by bringing Narmada water to the desert districts of Rajasthan last month overcoming all opposition — from the judiciary, Congress central leaders, Communists and the “likes of Medha Patkar”.
Political leaders from Tamil Nadu and Karnataka were camping in Delhi recently to apprise the prime minister of their version of the story on the Kaveri water dispute.
The PM, instead of asking the two sides to amicably settle the dispute, is reported to have told them, that the decision on Hogenakkal project was taken during the NDA, “as if it was a mistake”, says the editorial. Similar disputes are vitiating the relationship between Kerala and Tamil Nadu on the Mullapariyar dam water for over a year now. The riparian states can learn some valuable lessons from the example set by leaders like Modi and Raje, according to the Organiser.
Mismanaging managers
Slamming finance minister P Chidambaram and the “IMF-trained team” for their failure to anticipate inflationary pressure on the economy and address it in time, R Balashankar in an article in the current issue of the Organiser says that the FM owes an explanation to the country on this count.
India is keeping huge dollar stocks to keep the dollar high and the rupee low. A strong rupee would have benefited the consumer but the government is not willing to do that, says the article. There are clear indications of complete mismanagement of the economy by the present regime — that caused inflation.
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