CHANDIGARH: Expressing solidarity with the INDIA bloc, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann will not attend the Niti Aayog meeting to be chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on July 27.The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)-led Punjab government took this decision yesterday, a day after the INDIA bloc on Tuesday alleged that the Union Budget for fiscal 2024-25 ignored non-NDA-ruled states and the Congress and the DMK subsequently announced to boycott the Niti Aayog meeting.Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin first announced the boycott in Chennai. Following Stalin’s announcement, the Congress said that the chief ministers of the grand party-ruled states which include Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu of Himachal Pradesh, Siddaramaiah of Karnataka and Revanth Reddy of Telangana would also skip the meeting.Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann said that the decision to boycott the meeting was taken after the Union Budget failed to allocate funds to Punjab, despite the state’s significant contributions to the nation. He repeated Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s jibe at the budget calling it a “Kursi Bachao Budget” (Save the Chair Budget) and accused the central government of political vendetta against non-BJP ruled states.Mann bemoaned that the Finance Minister’s announcement of providing ration to 80 crore people did not mention Punjab, even though it is the major grain-producing state. Mann further said that Punjab shares a 532-kilometre international border and has always stood for the nation’s interest. However, he said that the union government has blocked roads and imposed a burden on the state. He further pointed out his efforts to waive off the Rs. 7.5 crore imposed by the Union Government for sending military forces during the Dinanagar and Pathankot attacks.Mann assured that his government will raise its financial resources to make the state economically viable and demanded a special status for Punjab. He said that farmers of the state were ignored, and barriers were raised to curb them.Mann further slammed the union government for withholding Rs. 10,000 crores from the state and accused the Governor of raising trivial issues daily. He assured that every effort would be made to ensure law and order and appealed to the Governor not to create conflict. Mann said that the decisions regarding appointment of Vice Chancellors of Universities should be made by elected representatives, not selected ones. He appealed to the Governor to refrain from creating an atmosphere of conflict, given the constitutional nature of the post.
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