Punjab: All-party meeting over water-sharing issue called by AAP begins

Chandigarh: Amid escalating tensions between Punjab and Haryana over sharing of water, an all-party meeting over the issue called by the ruling Aam Aadmi party in Punjab began here on Friday.

Representatives from various parties including AAP, Congress, BJP, SAD and BSP reached the meeting venue here to take part.

In addition to Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, other leaders who are taking part in the meeting include AAP state chief Aman Arora, Punjab BJP chief Sunil Jakhar, Congress's Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa and Rana K P Singh, Shiromani Akali Dal's Daljit Singh Cheema and Balwinder Singh Bhunder.

Mann on Thursday asserted that the AAP government will not allow the release of more water to the neighbouring state, claiming it has already utilised its share.

Mann had also hit out at the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) for its decision to release 8,500 cusecs of water to Haryana, saying such "robbery" of Punjab's rights will not be tolerated and that the board has no right to "dictate" matters related to his state.

The ruling AAP had called an all-party meeting over the water-sharing issue on Friday and also a special Vidhan Sabha session on Monday.

Mann had visited the Nangal dam in Rupnagar district, where his minister Harjot Singh Bains and party workers staged a 'dharna' in protest against the BBMB's decision of giving water to Haryana.

Punjab Police also beefed up security at the Nangal dam, which is situated downstream of Bhakra dam in Rupnagar district as part of security review arrangements.

Bains said they have taken "control" over the Nangal dam and the room from where the water supply is regulated has been locked, and its key given to police.

A fresh row has erupted over the issue of water sharing between Punjab and Haryana, with the AAP government in the border state refusing to release more water to the BJP-ruled Haryana.

The BBMB's decision to release water to Haryana on Wednesday came despite the Punjab government's strong objection, as it claimed that the neighbouring state has already utilised 103 per cent of its allocated share of water.

Referring to the BBMB meeting which was held on Wednesday, Mann accused BJP-ruled states, Haryana and Rajasthan, of indulging in 'gundagardi' (thuggery), 'tanashahi' (dictatorship) and collusion to get more water from the BBMB.

"They (Haryana and Rajasthan) voted in support of the decision when 60 per cent of the BBMB is ours. The final decision is to be taken by Punjab. How could they bypass Punjab and take water? Punjab did not sign (that decision)," Mann said.

Haryana, he said, utilised its share of water in March and was now seeking additional water for April and May and added that Punjab needs water for the upcoming paddy sowing season and there was not a single surplus drop to spare.

The BBMB regulates water distribution from Bhakra, Pong and Ranjit Sagar dams. Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan are the partnering states that meet their requirement for different purposes, including irrigation, from Bhakra and Pong dams.

Earlier on Thursday, the opposition Congress and SAD in Punjab warned that people of the state will not allow a single drop of extra water to flow into any other state.

Punjab BJP chief Sunil Jakhar too, in a post in Punjabi on X, said: "We always stand firmly with the interests of Punjab and our stand is clear that the state does not have excess water to give to any state." Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, however, accused the AAP government in Punjab of playing "dirty politics" over the water sharing issue.

This was the first time that the supply of drinking water had been halted, he said.

Saini hit out at the AAP for "politicising" the issue and called it "deeply regrettable" and against the spirit of national unity.

Emphasising that this is not a matter of irrigation but of essential drinking water, the Haryana chief minister said such a basic human need must never be turned into a political tool.

"Water is a lifeline, not a political weapon. As our elder brother, Punjab should set an example, not block what is rightfully and ethically shared," he said.