BBMB row: AAP, SAD up the ante against Centre in Punjab

AAP will hand over memorandums addressed to the Punjab governor through deputy commissioners in various districts to raise objections against the Centre’s BBMB move

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) will hand over memorandums addressed to the Punjab governor through deputy commissioners (DCs) in various districts to raise objections against the Centre’s purported move to terminate the state’s representation in the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB).

AAP leader Harpal Singh Cheema said the Union Government should immediately stop its attacks on the rights of Punjab.

Leader of opposition Harpal Singh Cheema said demand letters meant for the governor will be handed over to DCs by party’s district-level leaders, starting from Jalandhar on Wednesday. “The governor should present these letters to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and the Union Government should immediately stop its attacks on the rights of Punjab,” he said in a statement.

Meanwhile, Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Tuesday rejected the Centre’s clarification on what he called its “utterly disastrous decision” on the BBMB. As per norms, BBMB’s member (power) comes from Punjab and member (irrigation) from Haryana. Recent news reports regarding the Centre purportedly removing these provisions has led to widespread objections from Punjab- and Haryana-based politicians, who claim the move violates the states’ rights and federalism.

Even as the power ministry on Sunday stated that the central government has specified technical qualification for power and irrigation members in the new rules following directions of the Punjab and Haryana high court and “the structure of the BBMB board remains unchanged”, the controversy refuses to die down.

While claiming that the SAD-BSP alliance was set to win the Punjab elections with a thumping majority, Sukhbir, who was talking to the press in Patiala, reiterated his party’s commitment to a genuine federal structure in the country and said his government will force the Government of India to ensure “total fiscal autonomy to states whose powers have been usurped by the Centre over the years”.

Meanwhile, AAP leader Cheema said: “The importance of Punjab is being diminished from the management of the board. Earlier, the Congress government at the Centre was committing such atrocities against Punjab and now the BJP is following in its footsteps.” He also blamed former chief ministers Parkash Singh Badal and Capt Amarinder Singh for taking decisions that proved detrimental to the interests of the state. “Punjab is bearing the brunt of the selfishness of traditional political parties and leaders who never put the state’s interest before them,” he said, asking the Centre to refrain from taking arbitrary decisions.