Punjab congress hits out at AAP, BJP
CHANDIGARH:
Punjab Congress
President Amrinder Singh Raja Warring on Tuesday warned that the people of Punjab would not allow a single drop of extra water to be diverted to any other state. He said Haryana already received its rightful share under existing agreements, and any additional demand was unjustifiable, especially when Punjab itself is facing a severe water crisis.
Calling for urgent political unity on the issue, Warring demanded that chief minister Bhagwant Mann convene an emergency all-party meeting to formulate a concrete strategy to protect Punjab's
water rights
. Reacting to Aam Aadmi Party's (
AAP
) announcement of protests and dharnas, Warring dismissed it as political theatrics. 'When you are in power, why do you need to stage dharnas?' he asked. 'Stop this drama and take all stakeholders along to address the crisis seriously.'
He reiterated that Punjab cannot afford to give away any additional water, stating, 'We cannot let our own state go dry to quench the thirst of others,' and extended the Congress party's full support to the govt in defending Punjab's interests. Warring also accused the AAP govt of hypocrisy, alleging a covert understanding with the BJP. 'This was exposed when they used brutal force against peacefully protesting farmers,' he said. 'When you are already aligned with the
BJP
, what's the point of staging protests?' he asked, cautioning AAP against compromising on Punjab's water rights.
He clarified that the Congress is not against Haryana receiving the water allocated to it under past agreements, which it already utilised. 'But we will not allow a single drop more,' he stated firmly. 'Punjab does not have enough water for its own needs—how can it provide extra to others?'
Bajwa demands justice for Punjab's farmers
Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa launched a scathing attack on the BJP, accusing the party of orchestrating a grave injustice against Punjab's farmers in the escalating
water dispute
with Haryana. Citing the alarming depletion of Punjab's reservoirs and the overexploitation of 76.5% of its groundwater blocks, Bajwa said Haryana's demand for 8,500 cusecs of water threatens the very backbone of Punjab's agriculture, which produces 185 lakh metric tonnes annually for the nation's food security.
He alleged that Haryana already used 103% of its allocated 2.987 MAF water share and is now demanding more, flouting existing agreements. 'The Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB), under BJP's influence, ignored Punjab's data and objections during recent deliberations,' Bajwa said. 'This blatant bias turned a genuine water crisis into a political weapon.'
Despite Punjab supplying 4,000 cusecs to Haryana for drinking water, a BJP-driven narrative falsely suggests Punjab's inaction could lead to water flowing into Pakistan, he said. 'Punjab feeds the nation, yet receives stepmotherly treatment,' Bajwa asserted. He demanded a transparent, data-driven approach to resolve the issue and called out the BJP's divisive politics.
'We will not be silenced. We will fight for every drop Punjab deserves and for justice to the farmers who sustain India's food supply,' he declared.
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