'Punjab's Rightful Share Won’t Be Released': Union MoS Ravneet Bittu Wades Into State's Water Row With Haryana

Punjab and Haryana are in a dispute over water sharing. Union MoS Ravneet Singh Bittu assured that Punjab's share of water will not be released despite the BBMB's decision to release water to Haryana.

File Photo of Union MoS and BJP Rajya Sabha MP Ravneet Singh Bittu

Source : PTI

Chandigarh, May 1 (PTI) Amid the row over water sharing between Punjab and Haryana, Union minister and BJP Rajya Sabha MP Ravneet Singh Bittu on Thursday claimed that not a single drop of the border state's share of water will be released by the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB).

His remarks came even as the BBMB decided to release 8,500 cusecs of water to Haryana at a meeting held here on Wednesday.

The decision to release water to Haryana came despite the Punjab government strongly objecting to the BBMB move, claiming that the neighbouring state has already utilised its share of water.

In a statement, Bittu said he spoke to the BBMB chairman, who assured him that no additional water from Punjab's quota was being released.

Bittu said when he was the Anandpur Sahib MP, he participated in BBMB meetings and was well-acquainted with its operations.

He emphasised that the water-sharing dispute between Punjab and Haryana is already pending before the Supreme Court, and if Haryana requires more water, it should approach the court accordingly.

"As a Union minister, I categorically state that Punjab's rightful share of water will not be released under any circumstances," said Bittu, the Union minister of state for railways and food processing industries.

A fresh row has erupted over the issue of water sharing between Punjab and Haryana with the AAP government in the border state refusing to release more water to BJP-ruled Haryana, claiming that the neighbouring state has already utilised 103 per cent of its allocated share of water.

Bittu, however, criticised Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann for allegedly "dramatising" the water issue for "political gains".

Bittu described Mann's "outcry" on the water issue as "theatrical" and "politically motivated", calling it a "distraction" at a time when the nation stands united on national security matters.

"While the entire country is focused on serious concerns such as national security, Mann is trying to divert attention by staging unnecessary drama over water," Bittu alleged.

Bittu also accused the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government of trying to "derail" the ongoing dialogue between the farmers and the Union government over the former's demands.

Punjab government's "interference was a calculated move to mislead the farmers, particularly since many farmer organisations have expressed their opposition to the AAP-led state government", the BJP MP said.

He also pointed out that the farmer leaders have already announced that they will boycott a meeting on May 4 if Punjab ministers are invited to it.

BJP national secretary Tarun Chugh too attacked Mann, accusing him of playing politics over the issue.

"When the AAP government was in power in Delhi, Arvind Kejriwal's stand on the issue was something else," Chugh said.

He alleged that the AAP was "playing politics" to "divert attention" from the corruption charges levelled against its leaders Manish Sisodia and Satyendar Jain in Delhi.

The Delhi government's Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) has filed a case against Sisodia and Jain over alleged corruption in the construction of 12,748 classrooms under the previous Arvind Kejriwal-led government. 

(This report has been published as part of the auto-generated syndicate wire feed. Apart from the headline, no editing has been done in the copy by ABP Live.)