Punjab cabinet minister Hardeep Singh Mundian, AAP MLAs protest aganist BJP over BBMP water issue in Ludhiana | Ludhiana News
LUDHIANA: Punjab cabinet minister Hardeep Singh Mundian on Thursday strongly opposed the BJP‘s “desperate efforts” to snatch water from Punjab through the BBMB and said that the state govt led by chief minister Bhagwant Singh Mann will not tolerate this robbery at any cost.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), led by cabinet minister Hardeep Singh Mundian, along with MLAs Ashok Parashar Pappi, Madan Lal Bagga, Kulwant Singh Sidhu, Daljit Singh Bhola Grewal, Jiwan Singh Sangowal, and Markfed Chairman Amandeep Singh Mohi, staged a protest in Ludhiana against the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) “blatant betrayal” of Punjab.
While speaking to media persons on the spot, Hardeep Singh Mundian alleged that the Centre and the BJP govts of Delhi and Haryana conspired against Punjab to snatch Punjab’s precious water resource.
He added that BJP will not be allowed to “succeed” in its “cowardly plans” and for this, whatever measures the govt has to take will be undertaken. He also challenged the Punjab BJP leaders to clarify their stand and questioned their “silence” on this matter, calling it stabbing the state of Punjab in the back.
Cabinet minister Mundian said that the central govt and the neighbouring state of Haryana already tried to “rob” Punjab’s rights.
“Centre govt damaged Punjab’s industrial sector by giving concessions to neighbouring states. Now they tried to rob the rights of the riparian state, and such nefarious designs will not be allowed to succeed,” he claimed. He said that the state govt is committed to protecting the waters of Punjab and no one’s interference in this matter will be tolerated.
The MLAs alleged that the BJP-led central govt, through the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB), “issued” a draconian directive to release 8,500 cusecs of Punjab’s valuable water to Haryana, which may lead to a crisis in Punjab. They declared that the BJP “stabbed” Punjab in the back and that this is not just theft of water, but an attack on Punjab’s lifeline.
“AAP will not allow a single drop of our water to be diverted to Haryana,” they emphasized.
Mundian highlighted that the BBMB’s directive “risks” disrupting Punjab’s irrigation systems, “severely impacting” agriculture and potentially leading to an energy crisis due to effects on power generation. “This outrageous decision will cripple Punjab and leave millions of farmers in distress,” Mundian stated.
Mundian also added that Punjab’s water is meant for its fields and its people. “We will stand united and fight for justice in every possible way to protect our state’s rights,” he asserted.
MLAs Ashok Parashar Pappi, Kulwant Singh Sidhu, Daljit Singh Bhola Grewal, Jiwan Singh Sangowal, and Markfed Chairman Amandeep Mohie also criticised the central govt, “warning” that diverting 8,500 cusecs of water could dry up canals, harm farmers, and disrupt power supply, pushing Punjab towards darkness. They affirmed, “Punjab’s water is our pride, and AAP will tirelessly defend it.”
Later in the protest, they burnt an effigy of Union Minister of State for Railways and Food Processing, Ravneet Singh Bittu.
