Centre should not play with Punjab’s sentiments: CM

New Delhi: Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Tuesday claimed that the Centre has decided to defer key issues pertaining to Punjab, including the sharing of river waters and other rights with neighbouring states and the Panjab University restructuring.

CM Mann made the claim a day after he spoke at the 32nd meeting of the Northern Zonal Council, chaired by Union Home minister Amit Shah in Faridabad, where he raised the concerns of Punjab.

The Punjab Chief Minister said he told the meeting that the Centre should not “play with the sentiments” of Punjab while ignoring the state’s interests.

“The Centre has deferred all 11 issues relating to Punjab after I raised the concerns of Punjab and called for maintaining the status quo on the issues concerning Punjab. Will not allow the rights of Punjab to be taken over by anyone,” Mann told reporters at a press conference.

CM Mann said he strongly opposed all the claims made by neighbouring states at the meeting and told the Home minister not to allow them to snatch the rights of Punjab. “All the issues raised by other states were to snatch the rights of Punjab, and I strongly opposed them,” he said.

To help resolve the issue of water scarcity for irrigation purposes in northern India, the chief minister proposed that after annulling the Indus River Waters Treaty, 24 MAF water from the Chenab river should be diverted to Punjab and that could be channelised for irrigation purposes in all northern states.

Asked about Delhi CM Rekha Gupa’s concerns that the pollution in the national capital is a result of farm fires in Punjab and other northern states, Mann claimed that the image of Punjab was being tarnished unnecessarily and the pollution in Delhi is not a result of farm fires in Punjab, as paddy cultivation is delayed there.

CM Mann said Rajasthan and Himachal Pradesh have no right in the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) and their claims in the board do not stand any ground as the BBMB was formed after reorganisation of the state. The chief minister also claimed that Haryana itself had given away its claim on Panjab University a few years ago during the tenure of then chief minister Bansi Lal.

He said the present restructuring of the Panjab University Senate and Syndicate proposed by the Centre has been kept in abeyance, saying the Centre has no intentions of going ahead with the restructuring and demanded that early elections to the Panjab University Senate be declared as the agitating students are suffering.

CM Mann also proposed changing the name of the SYL canal to YSL (Yamuna-Satluj Link) canal by diverting Yamuna waters to Punjab instead.

He said river water agreements need to be reviewed every 25 years as neighbouring states have “made a joke of the waters issue”, claiming that Punjab is suffering due to the demands made by neighbouring states.

Mann also called for de-silting of Pong dam and urged the neighbouring states and the Centre to share the burden of

de-silting.