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Correspondent

21 August 2024 at 10:20:16 am

Holy Contracts

The Kumbh Mela is supposed to be a celebration of faith. But in Maharashtra, it is beginning to look rather too much like an opportunity for fraudsters. For the BJP-led Mahayuti, the alleged Kumbh Mela scam is a potentially damaging test of political credibility and an unwelcome headache for Minister Girish Mahajan. The arrest of Tanay Mahajan, described as a distant relative of the Minister, in an alleged racket involving fake Kumbh work orders has handed the Opposition an opportunity it...

Holy Contracts

The Kumbh Mela is supposed to be a celebration of faith. But in Maharashtra, it is beginning to look rather too much like an opportunity for fraudsters. For the BJP-led Mahayuti, the alleged Kumbh Mela scam is a potentially damaging test of political credibility and an unwelcome headache for Minister Girish Mahajan. The arrest of Tanay Mahajan, described as a distant relative of the Minister, in an alleged racket involving fake Kumbh work orders has handed the Opposition an opportunity it will be eager to exploit. The scale of the alleged fraud makes the matter particularly serious. Police say fake work orders were shown for projects worth around Rs. 591 crore and that those who came forward were allegedly cheated of Rs. 305 crore. One complainant alone is said to have lost Rs. 2.17 crore. The documents allegedly bore the Government of India emblem and the name of the Nashik-Trimbakeshwar Kumbh Mela Authority. Mahajan has sought to distance himself from the accused, calling him a “gone case” and saying criminal cases had previously been registered against him. He has also urged strict action against everyone involved. But politically, the Minister’s proximity to one of the accused makes the episode difficult to quarantine as an ordinary fraud case. The Fadnavis government’s larger problem is one of perception. The Kumbh Mela is one of Maharashtra’s biggest public undertakings, involving enormous expenditure, infrastructure contracts and administrative machinery. If fake work orders worth hundreds of crores could circulate convincingly enough to extract money from contractors, questions will inevitably be asked about the safeguards surrounding the real tendering process. Mahajan’s clarification that Kumbh tenders are processed online, and that genuine work orders are not issued in the names of individual officials or accompanied by unauthorised QR codes, raises the obvious question: why did the alleged racket find enough room to operate in the first place? The timing makes the political challenge sharper. The Kumbh controversy comes on the heels of allegations surrounding the recent theft of Ram Mandir donations in a BJP-ruled state. A succession of controversies can create a narrative about institutional laxity on part of the ruling party at the Centre and in Maharashtra. The answer must be radical transparency. The police must follow the money, identify everyone who prepared or circulated the forged documents and establish whether anyone inside the system enabled the racket. The government should simultaneously publish a clear account of Kumbh tenders, safeguards and authorisations. The Kumbh should be an exercise in public administration, not an invitation to private profiteering. If the Mahayuti wants to prevent this alleged scam from snowballing into a larger political embarrassment, it must demonstrate that the state and not its middlemen, is in charge.

Goda-Narmada Jal Yatra flagged off

CM says state will be ‘drought-free’

Mumbai: In a soulful blend of faith, history and futuristic governance, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis reiterated his regime’s commitment to making the state  ‘drought-free’, flagging off a grant ‘Goda to Narmada Jal Yatra-2026” on Saturday from the temple town of Trimbakeshwar in Nashik district.

 

The water pilgrimage, as it is called - starts from the origins of Godavari, second longest river, till the banks of the Narmada, fifth longest river of India, in Madhya Pradesh with a clarion call to kickstart water conservation and sustainable development efforts.

 

“We are working on a major river interlinking project to make Maharashtra drought-free. Development must move in step with preserving cultural and ecological heritage,” Fadnavis said.

 

Taking inspiration from the legendary Punyashlok Queen Ahilyabai Holkar, he called her visionary leadership, contributions to water conservation from wells and stepwells to river management systems, which remain relevant centuries later.

 

“Ahilyabai Holkar’s work reminds us that respecting rivers as living entities is essential for sustainable growth,” said Fadnavis, praising her vision and governance model, on her 300 birth anniversary celebrations and the International Year of Woman Farmer.

 

Harking to the great rulers of the state like Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, he said that Ahilyabai Holkar occupies a place among the greatest of sovereigns who took over the reins of the state administration at a very young age after the death of her husband Khanderao Holkar and her father-in-law Malharrao Holkar, the founder of the Holkar Dynasty of central India, with its capital Indore.

 

“After the Mughal invaders damaged temples of Trimbakeshwar, Somnath, Kashi Vishwanath of Rameshwar, she rebuilt them with courage and commitment. Simultaneously, her work in water conservation is important. Even today, the water storage structures built by her are in good condition, and we shall preserve them,” said Fadnavis.

 

Elaborating, he said that Ahilyabai Holksar created a separate stream of River Narmada in Maheshwar for daily use so that the main river could flow clean and unpolluted. She considered rivers as goddesses and mothers, and accorded importance to them including Godavari, Yamuna and others.

 

Dwelling on her social reforms, the CM said she prioritised women’s education and employment through initiatives like the ‘Maheshwari Sari’, established one of the earliest women’s military units, integrated tribal communities into the social mainstream and implemented stringent law-and-order.

 

The yatra was launched with senior ministers like Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil, Girish Mahajan, and Chhagan Bhujbal, and others witnessing ceremonial rituals of ‘Kanya Pujan’, the worship of the River Godavari.

 

Spiritual guru Parampujya Gurumauli Annasaheb More of Shri Swami Samarth Seva Kendra, Nashik presided over the event while Yuvraj Maharaj Yeshwant Holkar Bahadur of the Indore royal family and 16th descendent of Ahilyabai Holkar was also present on the occasion.

 

Water collected from 30 rivers in the state will be carried in ceremonial urns (Kalash) to Maheshwar, the historic capital of Ahilyabai Holkar, and another procession, flagged off by Deputy CM Eknath Shinde and Legislative Council Chairman Ram Shinde, is carrying the sacred soil from her birthplace, Chaundi.

 

The twin yatras shall converge at Shirdi on Sunday, where special cultural, spiritual, and awareness programmes engaging citizens are lined up. Over the next four days, the processions shall traverse through Nashik, Sangamner, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and end on April 29 at Maheshwar on the banks of River Narmada – a significant development in the run-up to next year’s Nashik Kumbh Mela.

 

The state’s push for river interlinking, he said, will play a critical role in addressing regional water disparities and securing long-term water availability.

 

The yatras will see participation of around 500, including Warkaris, youth groups, farmers and volunteers, while water conservation experts, NGOs, and local communities are contributing to make it a platform for awareness, dialogue, and grassroots action.

 

Abode of a Jyotirling
Trimbakeshwar in Nashik is revered as the abode of one of the 12 Jyotirlingas. The unique feature of this Jyotirling is the Linga in the temple is three-faced embodying the Tridev - Lord Brahma, Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva.
 
The River Godavari, often called the Dakshin Ganga, originates from the lush green hills surrounding this picturesque and famed pilgrimage town.

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