The decision of the Centre to reportedly end Punjab and Haryana's permanent membership in the Bhakra-Beas Management Board (BBMB) has stirred a hornet's nest with the Congress, Shiromani Akali Dal and Aam Aadmi Party raising strong objection to the move.
Haryana Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda, who is the Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly, termed it an attack on the rights of the state. ''According to the Bhakra-Beas Management Board Rules, 1974, the member (power) in the BBMB was from Punjab and the member (irrigation) was from Haryana. But in the amended rules of 2022, this requirement has been done away with,'' he said, adding, ''Under the amended rules, the criteria for the selection of members have also been defined in such a way that the power departments of Haryana and Punjab cannot meet the criteria.''
In a statement Hooda said there has been a reduction in the posts available from Haryana quota in the BBMB in the past as well due to the alleged neglect of the BJP-led state government. ''The Haryana government did not say anything then and they continue to be silent even after the new decision of the Union government. This silence of the BJP-JJP government is anti-state,'' he said.
''All political parties of Punjab, including the Congress, are unanimous and are raising their voice against this decision to protect the interest of the state. In such a situation, the Haryana government, along with all the parties, should oppose this decision and protect the rights of the state,'' he added.
Meanwhile, Punjab Congress leader Sunil Jakhar said BBMB rules have been tweaked ''to the detriment of Punjab''. Jakhar on Saturday wrote to Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi, urging him to take up with Prime Minister Narendra Modi the issue of amendments to the BBMB rules and also lead an all-party delegation to meet the PM. Jakhar said Punjab and Haryana are the owner-members of the BBMB. They provide funds towards the expenditure of the Board and even staff was taken on deputation from these two states, said Jakhar.
''With the amendment it will not be mandatory anymore to take these members from Haryana and Punjab. This is patently unfair, more so because the State of Punjab has never recognised the establishment of the BBMB...The BBMB was established under section 78-80 of the Punjab Reorganisation Act 1966. ''Punjab has challenged the constitutional validity of these sections through a suit under Article 131 of the Constitution, which is pending in the Supreme Court,'' said Jakhar.
The state has averred that the Punjab Reorganisation Act, 1966 has been enacted under Article 3 of the Constitution, and therefore distribution, control, and management of inter-state waters, which is done by the BBMB, cannot be dealt with under this Act, Jakhar said. He said the amendment to the BBMB rules take away existing rights and privileges of the owner-members of the BBMB. ''This has caused great consternation among people of Punjab,'' Jakhar said in a statement here.
Congress general secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala said by ending the representation of Haryana and Punjab in the BBMB, the Narendra Modi government has once again ''crushed'' the rights of Haryana and Punjab. ''This is a direct attack on the federal structure and the rights of the states,'' Surjewala said. ''Once again, Haryana and Punjab are paying the price for making the BJP government bow down in the farmers' movement,'' he said.
Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal described it ''a frighteningly grave development fraught with serious consequences for the state of Punjab''. Badal said, ''The fact of the matter is that as per the law of the country, precedents and the prevailing practices, the control of Satluj-Beas headworks belongs exclusively to Punjab as a riparian state. But first they unconstitutionally took that control away from us and now they are shutting Punjab completely out the BBMB.'' ''This is the height of injustice against us. This is also another instance of the federal principle has been outraged repeatedly by governments at the Centre. We will fight it with all the might at our disposal,'' Badal said in a statement.
The Akali Dal president appealed to every Punjabi to close ranks to fight for justice for the state. He alleged that the decision was ''yet another link in the long and painful chain of political, economic and religious discrimination against Punjabis in general and the Sikhs in particular''. Badal further said the decision was certain to rub salt into the already festering wounds of Punjabis in general and Sikhs and other farmers in particular.
In a tweet, SAD MP and former Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal said, ''the Centre's tweaking of BBMB norms is an act of gross discrimination against the brave and patriotic people of Punjab. Also, it runs against all accepted norms and spirit of the constitution.We will fight it. I appeal to all Punjabis to unite against this injustice''.
AAPs Punjab unit president Bhagwant Mann said that the move is ''a direct blow to India's federal system''. The Union government should refrain from taking arbitrary decisions in the BBMB rules and abandon the step motherly attitude towards Punjab, he said. Mann said he would take up the matter with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
