What water is in Teesta that will give? Mamata Banerjee questions the Centre
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has strongly criticized the initiatives of the BJP government at the Center on the renewal of the Farakka agreement, distribution of Teesta water. He said, “The Center is again saying that it will give Teesta water. Where is the water in Teesta? After that, if water is given, the northern part of the state will not get drinking water. Don’t think of river water when you see rain water. Sikkim has made this mistake.’
He said these things in the wake of the Modi government’s Teesta Treaty initiative with Bangladesh at a press conference at the Chief Minister’s Secretariat in Kolkata on Monday.
During Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s recent visit to New Delhi, the two countries again discussed the Teesta Agreement. Renewal of the Farakka Agreement was also discussed. In this context, Mamata expressed her opinion on the Teesta water distribution agreement directly in Kolkata on Monday.
The Chief Minister of West Bengal wrote a letter to the Prime Minister a few days ago regarding the renewal of the Farakka agreement between India and Bangladesh. On Monday too, without mentioning names, Mamata lashed out at the BJP government at the Centre.
He said, “Farakka will renew the contract without informing us.” Dredging is not done in Farakka. As a result, not only Bengal but also Bihar is flooded. But we are the main party. However, we were not invited to the talks between the Prime Ministers of India and Bangladesh. It is very unfortunate.’
He also claimed that discussions are going on at the Center to give Teesta water to Bangladesh. Mamata sarcastically said, ‘When Sikkim built hydropower, the Center should have seen it. That’s why people have to suffer today.
Mamata has a very cordial relationship with the Prime Minister of Bangladesh. If Sheikh Hasina comes to Kolkata or Mamata goes to Dhaka, the warm relationship between the two is not seen in the Teesta water distribution agreement.
In fact, Mamata is not willing to make any concessions for the sake of her state. Because after 2 years he has to face the crowd again in the assembly polls to stay in power in West Bengal. In this case, the anti-central weapon is one of the political circles of Kolkata.
In September 2011, the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh came to Dhaka, but the Teesta agreement was stalled when Mamata did not come at the last moment. At that time, Mamata complained that the amount of water that was supposed to be given to Bangladesh in the draft agreement was changed in the final agreement ready for signing. Mamata did not go to Dhaka because she objected that the agriculture and farmers of West Bengal would be affected if the agreement was signed.
