Deprecated (16384): The ArrayAccess methods will be removed in 4.0.0.Use getParam(), getData() and getQuery() instead. - /home/brlfuser/public_html/src/Controller/ArtileDetailController.php, line: 73
 You can disable deprecation warnings by setting `Error.errorLevel` to `E_ALL & ~E_USER_DEPRECATED` in your config/app.php. [CORE/src/Core/functions.php, line 311]
Deprecated (16384): The ArrayAccess methods will be removed in 4.0.0.Use getParam(), getData() and getQuery() instead. - /home/brlfuser/public_html/src/Controller/ArtileDetailController.php, line: 74
 You can disable deprecation warnings by setting `Error.errorLevel` to `E_ALL & ~E_USER_DEPRECATED` in your config/app.php. [CORE/src/Core/functions.php, line 311]
Warning (512): Unable to emit headers. Headers sent in file=/home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Error/Debugger.php line=853 [CORE/src/Http/ResponseEmitter.php, line 48]
Warning (2): Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Error/Debugger.php:853) [CORE/src/Http/ResponseEmitter.php, line 148]
Warning (2): Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Error/Debugger.php:853) [CORE/src/Http/ResponseEmitter.php, line 181]
Notice (8): Undefined variable: urlPrefix [APP/Template/Layout/printlayout.ctp, line 8]latest-news-updates/nationalism-trumps-drought-in-marathwada-kavitha-iyer-parthasarathi-biswas-4687231.html"/> LATEST NEWS UPDATES | Nationalism trumps drought in Marathwada -Kavitha Iyer & Parthasarathi Biswas | Im4change.org
Resource centre on India's rural distress
 
 

Nationalism trumps drought in Marathwada -Kavitha Iyer & Parthasarathi Biswas

-The Indian Express

Across these regions, where mitigation measures to tackle a grave water and fodder scarcity had barely begun during the election campaign, BJP leaders had run a campaign almost entirely on issues of national security, the Pulwama attack and the Balakot airstrike.

Mumbai/ Pune:
Shrugging off the impact of a crippling drought, anger at slow drought relief measures and years of poor price realisations for most major farm produce, rural Maharashtra appears to have re-elected the BJP-Shiv Sena combine to stunning victories in regions witnessing the worst agrarian distress.

The ruling alliance has won seven of the eight seats in Marathwada and all the eight seats in north Maharashtra, which is witnessing acute drought currently.

Across these regions, where mitigation measures to tackle a grave water and fodder scarcity had barely begun during the election campaign, BJP leaders had run a campaign almost entirely on issues of national security, the Pulwama attack and the Balakot airstrike.

At Ausa, in Marathwada’s Latur district, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had himself exhorted first-time voters to dedicate their vote to the soldiers who carried out the airstrike. At rallies and press conferences, local campaign managers and leaders had stressed that this was a ‘national’ election in which issues of national security and nationalism should take precedence.

NCP’s Ranajagjitsinh Patil, who lost from Osmanabad, said he’s at a loss to understand the mood of the electorate. Another NCP leader said, “The posturing of Narendra Modi as a strong leader of the nation has taken prominence in the minds of voters over rural distress. The trend is clear – they want a strong leader in Delhi who can protect the nation.”

Perhaps the most poignant comment came from Swabhimani Paksha leader Raju Shetti, one of Maharashtra’s foremost farmer leaders and sitting MP, who was defeated by Dhairyasheel Mane of Shiv Sena on Hatkanangle seat in Kolhapur, in western Maharashtra. “Farmers chose to vote on emotive issues rather than on issues that mattered to them directly. We have to rethink our strategies,” Shetti told The Indian Express.

Please click here to read more.