Won't allow single drop of extra water to flow to other state: Cong
Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring on Thursday warned that the people of Punjab will not allow a single drop of extra water to flow to any other state. He asserted that Haryana has already received its rightful share and cannot demand more when Punjab itself is facing a severe shortage.
Warring urged chief minister Bhagwant Mann to convene an emergency all-party meeting to formulate a united strategy to protect Punjab's water resources. He criticised AAP's planned protests as political theatrics, asking, 'when you are in power, why the need for dharnas?' and accused the AAP of staging drama instead of taking real action.
He said that Punjab cannot be allowed to go dry while supplying extra water to other states, assuring full Congress support to the government in protecting the state's interests. Warring also accused AAP of having a secret understanding with the BJP, citing its crackdown on peacefully protesting farmers as evidence of hypocrisy. He warned the AAP against any compromise on Punjab's water rights.
Clarifying the Congress stance, he said the party supports honouring past agreements and providing Haryana with its allocated share — but not a drop more. 'Punjab does not have enough water even for its own needs,' he said.
Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa launched a scathing attack on the BJP, accusing it of betraying Punjab's farmers by siding with Haryana in the intensifying water dispute. With Punjab's reservoirs critically low and 76.5% of its groundwater blocks overexploited, he warned that Haryana's demand for 8,500 cusecs would devastate Punjab's agricultural base, which produces 185 lakh metric tonnes for India's food security.
He demanded urgent steps to replenish Punjab's reservoirs and a transparent, data-driven resolution to the crisis. 'The BJP cannot silence Punjab's farmers. We will fight for every drop that rightfully belongs to our state,' Bajwa said.
'Attempt to rob Punjab of its water'
Jalandhar: Punjab Congress MLAs — Pargat Singh from Jalandhar Cantonment and Sukhpal Singh Khaira from Bholath — also flayed the BJP and BBMB, accusing the Centre of making direct attempts to rob Punjab of its water.
Addressing the press conference, Pargat Singh demanded the state government to bring white paper on the issue so that the issues could be brought in a comprehensive manner before public.
Khaira said the transfer of Punjab-cadre officer Akashdeep Singh, director of water regulation, and his replacement with Haryana-cadre officer Sanjeev Kumar, raises serious questions about the impartiality of the BBMB.
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