Congress MP Randeep Surjewala on Sunday launched a sharp attack on the central government and the chief ministers of Punjab and Haryana over the deepening water-sharing crisis, accusing them of negligence and political theatrics as Haryana struggles with a severe shortage.
Addressing a press conference, Surjewala slammed Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and Haryana CM Nayab Singh Saini for what he described as a “love letter exchange” instead of practical action. “The cotton crop remains unsown, ponds have dried up, and people are being forced to buy expensive tanker water,” he said, warning of long-term damage to agriculture.
Surjewala also criticised the Modi government for its silence, despite the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) being under the Union Power Ministry. He called out Power Minister Manohar Lal Khattar for failing to act, while alleging that Punjab’s deployment of police at the Bhakra Nangal Dam to block Haryana’s share of water amounted to an unprecedented and illegal seizure of a central facility.
“This is the first time a state has taken control of a centrally managed dam using its own police force,” Surjewala said, revealing that the BBMB chairman had requested Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) deployment — a request the Union Home Ministry has not acted on.
The Congress leader questioned the Haryana CM’s decision to approach the Supreme Court, arguing that legal proceedings would delay resolution for months or years. “This appears to be a calculated political drama, possibly to help the Aam Aadmi Party’s flailing government in Punjab,” he alleged.
Surjewala demanded urgent central intervention and held both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Power Minister Khattar accountable for restoring Haryana’s water rights. “If Punjab can unilaterally stop water flow, what is the role of the Centre and the BBMB?” he asked, warning of potential instability in Punjab-Haryana relations.
Meanwhile, the BBMB has ordered the release of an additional 8,500 cusecs of water to Haryana. This follows Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann’s earlier warning that water levels in the state’s major reservoirs—Pong, Bhakra, and Ranjit Sagar Dams—have significantly dropped compared to last year.
