Friday, July 16, 2010

Nobody cares a DAM(N) about democracy.

Yesterday, while watching Marathi news channels, I came across a news stating, 'Chandrababu Naidu' to lead a protest Yatra to Babli Dam project. This Babli project is being executed in Nanded district of Maharasthra. The funny reason that protesters have given for their rally is that they want to ASSESS the construction work there and will then submit a report to PM. Hmmmm..the reason apparently doesn't really go down well to me. Why? Here's the reason for that:

There's another state which is in row with AP over the same issue - a Dam. This time it's over the fact that Karnataka state is considering to increase the height of a dam called Almatti on the river of Krishna. Now, both the issues relate to a same thing, with different states and guess what, the approach of same LEADER to both the issues is different.

Maharashtra has always been seen as the reflection of India. Don't take me otherwise. I'm talking in terms of the inter-state relations. The mindset that India has towards its foreign counterparts is same as what Maharashtra Govt.(all the govts since 1950) has towards neighbouring states, i.e. 'let go' or 'jaane do yaar, hota hai'. Is it the reason why Mr. Naidu decides to STORM into Maharashtra whereas he chooses a more democratic way of protest when it comes to Karnataka? One of TDPs MLA D.U. Rao has staged a Dharna on National Highway 5 against the failure of the state government over the issue. There's a notable part in the news that "Mr. Umamaheswara Rao said if Karnataka and Maharashtra were allowed to continue with their 'irregular' and 'unauthorised' irrigation projects, Andhra Pradesh would suffer heavily in the coming years."
http://www.hindu.com/2010/07/05/stories/2010070560350600.htm .It clearly states that his party recognises that the both the projects (Babli & Almatti) will cause severe water problems in the AP areas adjacent to these projects. But a question remains to the core that why Mr. Naidu is not being so DARING when it comes to lodge the protest against Karnataka? The answer is simple. Maharashtra govt won't really opt for harsh treatments towards such things. Isn't it?

Now let's see a basic allegation that both, the state govt of AP & the oppositions in the state, are putting forward i.e. Maharashtra is violating Supreme Court's verdict in the Babli case. OK. But if that's the case, then why don't they choose a democratic (and a logical) way to lodge their sentiment of discomfort and violation in the Supreme Court? If the Court thinks that there are conflicts between its verdict and the actions of the Maharashtra Govt, it will certainly pull the CM over it and ask for immediate stopping the work at the place.

But why am I writing about this issue? A simple reason- I want people to think otherWISE. They must find out why Chandrababu (who has been termed as 'a closed chapter in Andhra Pradesh politics' by a Mining King, of course from Karnataka
http://beta.thehindu.com/news/states/andhra-pradesh/article48110.ece ) is desperate to feature on each of the forum that will fetch him even an inch of the publicity space.

Also, we must find out why is Maharashtra opting for this project? If completion of this project will affect the people in AP, then non-completion will affect the people in Maharashtra. So, isn't there any way out it? As of now, no one knows. But one thing's for sure, if both the state opt for a democratic way of finding the solutions, we can see a middle path. But for now, let the people like Mr. Naidu have the much needed publicity....

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