The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Punjab decided to give memorandums to deputy commissioners (DCs) of various districts against the decision of the Narendra Modi-led Central government to terminate Punjab’s representation in the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB).

The demand letters would be handed over to DCs to send to the Governor and first, the district level leadership of the Doaba region will hand over a memorandum.

Sharing this on Tuesday, senior AAP leader and Leader of Opposition Harpal Singh Cheema said AAP has demanded the Governor to present these letters to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to uphold the rights of the state and the Union government should immediately stop their attacks on the rights of Punjab.

Cheema said BBMB was established under the ‘Punjab Reorganisation Act 1966’ and since 1967 it’s chairman and two members belonged to Punjab and Haryana as these two states were major stakeholders. But now Punjab’s representation in the BBMB is being abolished.

Cheema said that the BBMB stands on the soil of Punjab and conspiracies are being hatched to oust Punjab from BBMB. The importance of Punjab is being diminished from the management of the board.

He said in the past, the Congress government at the Centre was committing such atrocities against Punjab and now BJP is following their steps. The AAP leader said the Bharatiya Janata Party’s government is even putting Congress to shame when it comes to violating the rights of states and endangering India’s federal system.

Cheema blamed former Chief Ministers Parkash Singh Badal and Captain Amarinder Singh for these wrong-doings against Punjab. He said that for the declining status of Punjab in BBMB, not only Center’s Congress and BJP governments are responsible, but Punjab’s Amarinder and Badal governments are equally responsible who never raised their voice in favour of Punjab and its rights.

He said today Punjab is bearing the brunt of the selfishness of Punjab’s traditional political parties and leaders who never put Punjab’s interest before them.

Cheema said the Union government should refrain from making arbitrary decisions in the matters affecting Punjab and should abandon their step-motherly attitude towards Punjab which has already been looted enough.

The Prime Minister should immediately reverse his decision to end the permanent representation of Punjab in the management of BBMB and review all the anti-Punjab decisions taken by previous Congress governments and restore the rights of Punjab, the AAP leader said.