You're kidding, right? Here's a sample back from Nov-13 when India launched the Mars orbiter:

This is The Guardian saying: "Such expenditure is, however, controversial, with some questioning whether India, where more than 40% of children are malnourished and half the population have no toilets, can afford the mission."

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/nov/04/india-mars-pro...

Here's the Financial Times saying "India’s Mars ‘fantasy’ defies earthly woes":

https://www.ft.com/content/235c487a-dd52-11e1-8fdc-00144feab...

Here's another from a publication I hadn't really heard of:

https://guardianlv.com/2013/11/india-mars-mission-to-launch-...

Here's The Economist hiding it under a thin veneer of appearing to justify the expenditure: "Some launches may be mere vanity projects, but satellites can have real benefits too"

https://www.economist.com/the-economist-explains/2013/11/04/...

Here CNN doesn't use "poverty" but calls it an "escalation in Asia's space race"

https://edition.cnn.com/2013/11/04/world/asia/india-mars-spa...

But it isn't just the western media. It's actually just the left, everywhere. Even in India. Like this:

https://zeenews.india.com/news/space/amidst-euphoria-some-vo...

The UK cancelled their space programme immediately after achieving orbit. Seems reasonable to have a view on how other nations are approaching it. Particularly when it's a nation we give hundreds of millions in development aid to.

I skimmed the first link you post - it seems quite balanced, despite your quote, and quotes those who are in favour of it too.

> It's actually just the left, everywhere

The FT is "the left"? That's a first.