Centre wants HP, Rajasthan aspermanent BBMB member in direct attack on Punjab's rights: AAP

Chandigarh, Oct 14 (PTI) The Aam Aadmi Party on Tuesday alleged the BJP-led Centre wanted to grant permanent membership to Himachal Pradesh and Rajasthan in the Bhakra Beas Management Board, and claimed it would be a "direct attack on Punjab's constitutional and riparian rights." AAP spokesperson Neel Garg said the Centre has written to the chief secretaries of Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Rajasthan to include Himachal and Rajasthan as permanent members of the BBMB.

At present, Punjab and Haryana are the permanent members of the BBMB, which regulates the supply of water and power from the Bhakra-Nangal and Beas projects.

Referring to the letter, Garg said the Centre's latest move "exposes its anti-Punjab mindset and represents yet another deliberate attempt to weaken the state's control over its water and power resources".

"This letter from the Central government, sent to the chief secretaries of Punjab, Haryana, Himachal, and Rajasthan, clearly shows that the BJP wants to permanently include Himachal and Rajasthan in the BBMB. This is nothing but another betrayal of Punjab," he alleged.

The AAP leader added that Punjab has historically borne the financial burden of BBMB, with over 40 per cent of the board's expenses funded by the state while facing "repeated attempts by the BJP to snatch away" its legitimate share of resources.

"From denying funds to manipulating BBMB, the BJP has consistently conspired to economically and politically weaken Punjab," he alleged in a statement.

He claimed that earlier this year, the BJP had even tried to "divert" Punjab's share of river water to Haryana through BBMB, but Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann's firm stand prevented it.

"Now, through this new attempt, the BJP is trying to dilute Punjab's rights once again by changing the structure of BBMB." Garg asserted that the AAP government will strongly oppose any move to alter the BBMB's structure or Punjab's representation in it. "CM Bhagwant Mann's government will fight tooth and nail to protect every right of Punjab." He also lashed out at the Centre for, what he claimed, its continued "apathy" towards Punjab's flood-hit families. The BJP government at the Centre promised Rs 1,600 crore as relief after devastating floods, but did not release a single rupee, Garg claimed.

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi flew over Punjab in a helicopter, made empty promises, and left. Not a single paisa has reached Punjab," he alleged.

Instead, the Centre insulted Punjab by counting advance State Disaster Response Force instalments and the national highway funds as part of the Rs 1,600 crore package, effectively giving Punjab nothing new, the AAP leader alleged.

He accused BJP leaders Sunil Jakhar, Ravneet Bittu, and Ashwani Sharma of acting as "mouthpieces of Delhi bosses" instead of standing with Punjab during this crisis.

"I want to ask these leaders, do you support this anti-Punjab BBMB decision. Will you stand with Punjab or with your Delhi high command that is repeatedly stabbing Punjab in the back?" Garg posed. PTI CHS NSD NSD