Less than a month after publishing an editorial that mocked Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, the Shiv Sena (UBT) mouthpiece Saamana had a new editorial that praised him.
Titled “Congratulations, Deva bhau”, the editorial on January 3 lauded Fadnavis’s recent visit to Gadchiroli, a region defined by Naxal violence.
“If Deva bhau wants to give the Naxalite district Gadchiroli a new identity of steel city, then it should be welcomed and he truly deserves praise. He needs to show that initiatives he had announced and planned for the development of Gadchiroli are for the betterment of the common and poor people there and not for mining barons,” The Hindu quoted the editorial as saying.
The editorial also praised Fadnavis for inaugurating several development projects in Gadchiroli, offering him congratulations and hope that “his initiatives will transform the lives of the tribals” to mark a “major turning point for our state”.
Saamana’s executive editor Sanjay Raut later told the media that if a government takes “steps that are beneficial to the state”, then “we must leave our political differences aside and praise it”.
It wasn’t just the Shiv Sena (UBT) that was all praise for Fadnavis’s visit. Yesterday, NCP (SP) MP Supriya Sule told the media that it was “good to see” Fadnavis continuing the legacy of RR Patil, a late NCP politician whom she said “started development work in Gadchiroli”.
As reported by The Times of India, Sule said Fadnavis is the only minister in the cabinet who “looks in action mode from Day 1 of the formation of the government”.
Newslaundry has reported at length on the bitter animosity between Maharashtra’s opposition alliance and the BJP-led Mahayuti. On the eve of polling, the BJP had released fake “voice recordings” of Sule and Congress leader Nana Patole, claiming both leaders had misappropriated bitcoins to fund their election campaigns.
These claims weren’t true – but the legacy media played them up regardless. Read our report here. And remember, unlike the mainstream media, we don’t take ads from governments and corporates. We’re accountable only to our subscribers – and to you. Click here to subscribe to Newslaundry, and join the tribe that pays to keep news free.
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