Punjab CM claims Centre asked for Rs 7.5 cr for sending military

Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Friday, while taking jibe at the Centre, claimed that the Narendra Modi government had asked Punjab to pay Rs 7.5 crore for sending military during the Pathankot attack in 2016.

Referring to the ‘apathetic and step-motherly treatment’ meted out to Punjab by the Central government, Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann narrated an incident when terrorists attacked the Pathankot airbase in 2016, and the state Police force accompanied by Central security forces valiantly retaliated against the attack and assisted in eliminating terrorists without caring for their safety.

Speaking in the state assembly, Mann claimed that he along with another AAP leader Sadhu Singh went to meet Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and had asked him to deduct the money from his Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLAD) funds in return of a written statement that Punjab isn’t a part of the country and took the military on rent from India.

“During the Pathankot attack, the military came. Later I received a letter that Punjab should pay Rs 7.5 crore as the military was sent. Sadhu Singh and I went to Rajnath Singh. Told him to deduct from my MPLAD but give in writing that Punjab isn’t the country’s part and took military from India on rent,” Mann was quoted saying by ANI.

Mann said, “It is highly paradoxical that the border state which is facing the brunt of terrorism is also made to pay the hefty amount on account of its security”. He dared Centre to clarify, “Don’t you consider Punjab as a part of the country”.

Four terrorists were killed, in 2016, when they carried out a suicide attack on the strategic Indian Air Force (IAF) base in Pathankot during the intervening night of January 1-2. Seven security personnel were also killed during the 80-hour-long gun battle.

With inputs from ANI.