Former Himachal Pradesh chief minister and former Union minister Shanta Kumar on Tuesday said that the recent achievements concerning state’s rights and the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) are not the result of the efforts of any single individual or government, but the culmination of a prolonged struggle and collective efforts spanning several decades.
Kumar, in a statement, said that while CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu had pursued the matter before the Supreme Court, it would be inappropriate for him to claim the entire credit for the outcome. “The CM should acknowledge the historical contributions of previous governments and leaders who fought tirelessly to secure Himachal’s legitimate rights,” he said.
Recalling the historical background, Kumar said that the struggle for Himachal’s rightful share began in 1977, when he first assumed office as CM. During discussions with senior officials, it became evident that Himachal had not received its rightful share in the assets of the erstwhile undivided Punjab.
He said that after thoroughly examining the matter, he travelled to New Delhi and met the then Prime Minister, Morarji Desai, placing before him the provisions of the Punjab Reorganisation Act and explaining how Himachal Pradesh had been deprived of its legitimate entitlements.
Kumar recalled that Desai took the matter seriously and subsequently convened a meeting with the CMs of Punjab and Haryana. During the meeting, he strongly presented the state’s case on the basis of legal provisions and constitutional principles.
{{/usCountry}}Kumar recalled that Desai took the matter seriously and subsequently convened a meeting with the CMs of Punjab and Haryana. During the meeting, he strongly presented the state’s case on the basis of legal provisions and constitutional principles.
{{/usCountry}}He said that although the Centre initially proposed constituting a committee to examine the issue, he insisted that Himachal Pradesh should receive immediate interim relief rather than wait indefinitely for the committee’s recommendations.
“Since everyone agreed in principle that Himachal Pradesh’s claim was justified, I demanded that the state should immediately receive some electricity on an ad hoc basis until the committee submitted its report,” Kumar recalled.
He said that Prime Minister Morarji Desai fully supported this demand. During the discussions, he also sought the cooperation of leaders including Devi Lal and Parkash Singh Badal, emphasising that Himachal Pradesh deserved fair treatment as a smaller hill state.
As a result, a historic decision was taken to provide 15 megawatts of electricity from Bhakra to Himachal Pradesh on an ad hoc basis.
Landmark decision belong to entire population, not to any individual: Dhumal
Former Himachal Pradesh chief minister Prem Kumar Dhumal welcomed the Supreme Court’s decision regarding the outstanding dues of the BBMB, describing it as a historic achievement for the people of Himachal Pradesh and the culmination of a decades-long struggle to secure the state’s rightful share.
Dhumal, in a statement, said that the credit and benefits of this landmark decision belong to the entire population of Himachal Pradesh rather than to any individual or political party. He emphasised that the historical facts surrounding the BBMB dispute must be placed before the public so that the contributions of successive governments are clearly understood.
Recalling the history of the dispute, Dhumal said that following the reorganisation of Punjab on November 1, 1966, a decision was taken to distribute assets and liabilities among Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh in proportion to their populations. At that time, Congress governments were in power in all three states. However, when crucial decisions concerning BBMB were being taken, no representative of the Himachal Pradesh government attended the important meeting.
He alleged that the Congress leadership failed to recognise the significance of these decisions, resulting in substantial losses to Himachal Pradesh and depriving the state of its legitimate rights for decades.
Dhumal said that when the Janata Party formed governments at the Centre and in Himachal Pradesh in 1977, the then PM Desai decided to provide 15 MW of electricity to Himachal Pradesh and constituted a committee to examine the remaining issues. However, after the Congress returned to power in 1980, the matter was once again neglected.
He said that during the 1990s, the Bharatiya Janata Party revived the issue and organised an Adhikar Yatra to Delhi, receiving support from the party’s central leadership. Subsequently, the principle of providing 12% free electricity to states hosting hydroelectric projects was accepted by the Central Government.