Mann govt neither respects Constitution nor constitutional bodies of the country: Saini

Chandigarh, May 8 (PTI) Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Thursday slammed the Punjab government for its stand on the ongoing water dispute and for mistreating Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) Chairman Manoj Tripathi during his visit to the Nangal dam.

Saini said the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government neither respects the Constitution nor the country's constitutional institutions and even disregarded the Punjab and Haryana High Court's decision on the water issue.

Speaking after offering prayers at Nada Sahib Gurdwara in Panchkula, Saini said Punjab, the land of Gurus, had always spread the message of harmony and welfare. "But today the Mann government is creating unnecessary conflict for political gain. We are not demanding Punjab's share of water, we are only asking for Haryana's share of drinking water," he said.

Saini also slammed Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and Punjab Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains for an incident involving AAP workers holding BBMB Chairman Manoj Tripathi "captive" for some time at a Nangal guest house.

Saini said when people of Haryana were facing drinking water issues, they sat on a dharna at the Nangal dam.

Tripathi was visiting Nangal on Thursday when Bains, along with AAP supporters and some locals, held a protest against him and shouted slogans. He was not allowed to come out of Sutlej Sadan after AAP workers locked the gate.

Mann visited Nangal later and moments before his arrival, Punjab Police escorted Tripathi out of the guest house amid sloganeering by AAP protesters.

Meanwhile, minister Harjot Bains alleged that the BBMB chairman and secretary had forcibly attempted to "rob" Punjab's waters. "We all here have held the BBMB chairman captive," he said earlier in the day.

The incident comes a day after the high court restrained Punjab government and its departments from "interfering" in the day-to-day functioning of the Bhakra-Nangal Dam and Lohand Control Room Water Regulation offices managed by the BBMB.

At Nangal, Mann targeted the BBMB asserting that Punjab will not allow release of extra water to Haryana.

Punjab has maintained that it will continue to give 4,000 cusecs of water to Haryana for drinking purposes on humanitarian grounds, but won't give a drop more, notwithstanding the BBMB's decision to allocate extra 4,500 cusecs to the BJP-ruled state, which Punjab claims has already exhausted its share.

Meanwhile, Saini said that Punjab and Haryana High Court had, in a May 6 order on BBMB's petition, directed Punjab to abide by the decision taken at a meeting on May 2 under the chairmanship of Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan.

Mohan, who chaired a high-level meeting on Friday, had advised to carry out BBMB's decision to release 4,500 cusecs of water from Bhakra dams to Haryana for the next eight days to meet the state's urgent water requirements.

Saini said the court has delivered its decision after carefully hearing both the parties and refusing to accept its verdict amounts to an insult to the constitutional bench.

He added that the Haryana government has already apprised the high court about the current situation and promised to abide by whatever decision it takes.

Saini said water is essential for life, yet the Punjab chief minister is withholding it "for political mileage" and asked Mann "not to politicise Haryana's rightful share of water".

Referring to the escalating tensions between India and Pakistan, Saini said it is deeply unfortunate that Mann continues to indulge in politics even at a time the country is facing sensitive circumstances.

Meanwhile, former Haryana chief minister and Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda in a statement demanded the immediate sacking of Punjab minister Bains, describing his action as reprehensible, illegal, unconstitutional and unacceptable.

Hooda said the Central government should take cognisance of the matter and immediately deploy forces by removing Punjab Police from Bhakra Dam. PTI SUN RUK RUK