Congress MP Surjewala slams Centre, Punjab, Haryana CMs for escalating water-sharing crisis

Chandigarh (Punjab) [India], May 4 (ANI): Congress MP Randeep Surjewala on Sunday launched a scathing attack on the Centre, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, and Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, accusing them of mishandling the escalating water-sharing dispute, which has left Haryana grappling with a severe water crisis.
Speaking at a press conference, Surjewala highlighted the severe water shortage in Haryana, stating, "Due to scorching heat, ponds have dried up, and people are forced to buy water from tankers at high prices. The cotton crop, expected to be sown by May 15, has not been planted, causing future losses for farmers," and criticised Mann and Saini for engaging in a "game of writing love letters" instead of resolving the crisis.
He accused the PM Modi-led central government and Union Minister of Power Manohar Lal Khattar of neglecting the issue despite the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) being under the Union Power Ministry's control.
"Despite this water shortage, the Chief Minister of Punjab, Bhagwant Mann and the Chief Minister of Haryana, Nayab Singh Saini, are busy writing love letters to each other on the matter... Haryana CM, instead of going to the Prime Minister and the Power Minister, stages a drama of an all-party meeting and talks of going to the Supreme Court... The Centre is also not paying attention to this issue... The Modi Government are sleeping as if the region of Punjab and Haryana doesn't exist... The Bhakra Beas Management Board completely comes under the Power Ministry of the Centre, but it is doing nothing," Surjewala stated.
The Congress MP condemned Punjab's deployment of police at the Bhakra Nangal Dam to block Haryana's water share, calling it an unprecedented takeover of a centrally run facility.
He stated that this was the first time a state had deployed its police to seize a central facility, noting that the BBMB chairman's request to the Union Home Ministry for Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) deployment had gone unheeded.
"Along with this, the Punjab government has deployed police at the Bhakra Nangal Dam and has sealed the place from where water is to be released. So that Haryana's share of water isn't given to Haryana... This is the first time that a state has deployed its police to take over a centrally run facility," he said.
"The BBMB board chairman had formally requested the Union Home Ministry for the deployment of CISF for dam security after this, but no probe was done," Surjewala added.
Questioning Saini's plan to approach the Supreme Court, Surjewala stated that, "It takes months and years for a Supreme Court verdict. You want to complicate the Haryana water situation further."
He alleged a deliberate conspiracy between the BJP-led Centre and Punjab's AAP government to prolong the crisis for political gains, questioning if "this was just a farce being done so that the sinking government of the Aam Aadmi Party in Punjab can be saved?"
Surjewala further challenged the Centre's inaction, asking why Union Power Minister Manoharlal Khattar and Prime Minister Narendra Modi have not intervened to ensure Haryana's rightful share.
"Does Punjab have so much power to stop water by deploying police? Why is the Centre silent when the BBMB is under its control?" he questioned, warning that escalating tensions could destabilise relations between Punjab and Haryana.
He urged the Centre to act decisively, holding Khattar and Modi responsible for resolving the crisis.
Meanwhile, the BBMB ordered that an additional 8,500 cusecs of water be released to Haryana.
The statement comes after Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann raised concerns on May 1 over decreasing water levels in key reservoirs. He mentioned that the water levels in Pong Dam, Bhakra Dam, and Ranjit Sagar Dam are 32 feet, 12 feet, and 14 feet below last year's levels, respectively. (ANI)