Now, AAP to raise river waters issue in Parliament
Saturday, 11/04/2015
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RAMPURA PHUL (BATHINDA): Touching the river-water issue which at the heart of Punjab politics, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP from Sangrur Bhagwant Mann on Friday said the state does not have enough water to meet its own needs and he will raise the issue in the upcoming session of Parliament.
Sangrur MP Bhagwant Mann (second from left) and Faridkot MP Sadhu Singh during a rally in Bathinda on Friday.
Mann said this while talking to mediapersons on the sidelines of a rally at Rampura Phul in the district.
The AAP has avoided taking a stand on the issue in the past and but the recent war of words between the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and the Congress over the rights of the state over river water has forced the party to jump into the fray, it appears.
Both the Congress and Akalis will be uncomfortable if AAP raises the issue in Parliament as both parties have reservations discussing the matter at the national platform, especially in the backdrop of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s plans of interlinking river water against SAD wishes. “We do not have enough water to drink or for irrigation. We have no water for others. Our party will raise the issue in the upcoming session of Parliament,” said Bhagwant Mann.
“Both the SAD and the Congress have been playing noora kushti (friendly match) over the water issue. Our party will come up with data and details to make aware the masses over river water,” said Mann, who otherwise did not touch the issue in his one-hour long speech at the rally.
“People have showed faith in us during the 2014 parliamentary elections and we will contest the 2017 assembly elections. We were not ready to contest the Dhuri election as party has yet to develop organisational structure in the state,” said the AAP MP.
Interestingly, the central leadership of the party has not made any commitment on contesting any elections outside Delhi.
