The Trinamool Congress (TMC) has expressed its strong discontent over the Centre’s decision to renew the 1996 Ganga Water Sharing Treaty with Bangladesh without consulting the state government of West Bengal. Senior TMC MP Derek O’Brien questioned the propriety of the Centre’s action, stating that the state is a party to the treaty and its dues for the previous treaty have not been cleared. He also raised concerns over the dredging of the Ganga River, which has been stopped, and its impact on floods and erosion in the region. O’Brien accused the Centre of trying to “sell off” Bengal by entering into the treaty without consulting the state.
The Centre’s decision was taken during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s discussions with Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. The Prime Minister had announced that technical discussions would be held at the India-Bangladesh level regarding the renewal of the Ganga water treaty, and an Indian technical team would soon visit Bangladesh. Sources also said that talks on sharing the waters of the Teesta River, which flows through West Bengal, were likely to come up during these discussions.
TMC attacks Modi Government
The decision has sparked concerns among the people of West Bengal, who have been protesting against the Farakka Treaty, which they claim has caused large-scale erosion and inundation in the region due to the diversion of the Ganga River’s water. The TMC government has been vocal about its opposition to the treaty, with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who shares good relations with Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, exerting pressure on the Centre to reconsider the agreement.
In the past, Banerjee had stalled talks on sharing the waters of the Teesta River, which was a major issue during the UPA regime when Manmohan Singh was Prime Minister. The Centre’s decision to renew the Ganga Water Sharing Treaty without consulting the state government has led to a sense of mistrust among the people of West Bengal, who feel that their concerns are being ignored. The controversy is likely to escalate further, with the TMC leaders vowing to continue their protest against the treaty until their demands are met.
