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.

Pooh-poohing the Congress for attributing inflation to a global phenomenon, Balashankar points out that it was Indira Gandhi in the early ‘70s who advanced the global phenomenon plea to explain price rise. But the Congress’ latest take — urging the opposition not to politicise economic issues — is “hilarious”. In an election year, this is the “supreme sacrifice”, the Congress can ask of the Opposition.

The article further says that economic statesmanship is “sadly absent” in this government. The art of policy-making is to find that set of policies, which are economically, politically, socially, and culturally feasible. All the UPA’s policies to fight inflation have been aimed at reducing the rate of inflation from what they would otherwise be. Such efforts are likely to have at best only “temporary and superficial” success.

Bhutia’s golden goal

Complimenting Indian Football team captain Bhaichung Bhutia for refusing to carry the Olympic torch through Delhi, an article says that he scored a “golden goal” for all freedom loving people of the world and done India proud. To argue against mixing politics with sports is “sheer nonsense”. Beijing wants to make a political statement by successfully holding the games, says the article.

It condemns the UPA government’s handling of the Tibet issue terming it as “a sad tale of political mistakes, tactical errors and communist betrayals”. Communist parties have all along played a pro-Beijing role and they are unmoved by the atrocities committed by communist rulers of Beijing, says the article.

The CPM has cautioned New Delhi to keep in mind that any help to Tibetan freedom fighters may provoke Beijing to take a similar stand on J&K and the northeast. The article says the communists have “conveniently” forgotten that it was China that nourished insurgency in Nagaland, Mizoram and Manipur by arming and training secessionists in China and Tibet. They refuse to accept that China is in illegal occupation of a large portion of Indian territory. “For them (communists) these are disputed areas. Can anyone be less patriotic?” says the article.