Chandigarh, Jul 25 (IANS): The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Thursday condemned Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s decision to boycott the NITI Aayog Governing Council meeting scheduled in the national capital on July 27, asserting that the move would be 'suicidal' for the interests of the state.

In a statement issued here, senior Akali leader Daljit Singh Cheema said, “The NITI Aayog meeting is a forum in which the states give inputs on different policies and programmes of the Centre. This is an opportunity to elaborate on the need for state-specific schemes and discourage Central schemes. It is also an opportunity to spell out Punjab’s special needs and convince the NITI Aayog to make appropriate recommendations to the Union government."

Earlier on Thursday, Bhagwant Mann announced that he will boycott the NITI Aayog meeting to be chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on July 27.

Speaking to mediapersons in Jalandhar, the Chief Minister said, "Punjab should have been given special status (in the Budget). But even Punjab's rights were not given. That is why we will boycott the NITI Aayog meeting for which all the Chief Ministers have been called by the Prime Minister on July 27."

Criticising the move, Cheema said instead of taking a pro-Punjab decision and attending the meeting, Mann has chosen to play politics and join the Congress bandwagon to boycott the meeting.

Claiming that the decision lacks justification, the SAD leader said, “It is surprising that before taking such a drastic step, the Chief Minister neither took the Vidhan Sabha into confidence nor did he consult the political parties of the state."

Asking the Chief Minister to prepare Punjab’s case properly and present it to the NITI Aayog, Cheema said, “The decision to boycott the meeting should be withdrawn immediately.”

He also said that Punjab should use the forum available to hold the Union government accountable for ignoring the state in the Union Budget, and ensure it is not ignored again while framing further policies and programmes.

Cheema said the Chief Minister should not run away from his constitutional duties and not sacrifice the interests of Punjab by toeing the line of the Congress.