Chandigarh, May 1 (PTI) Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Thursday accused the AAP government in Punjab of playing "dirty politics" over sharing of water and said this was the first time when the supply of drinking water had been halted.
On Tuesday, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann refused to release more water to Haryana, stating that the neighbouring state has already utilised 103 per cent of its allocated share by March.
Mann had accused the BJP of exerting pressure on the Punjab government through the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) to meet Haryana's demand.
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.
Addressing a news conference in Panchkula on the sidelines of an event, Saini said instead of doing politics of development, the AAP was indulging in "dirty politics".
Later, Saini hit out at AAP for "politicising" the water distribution 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 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, Saini said in an official statement issued Thursday evening.
Punjab is the sacred land of the Gurus, and, unfortunately, the Bhagwant Mann-led Punjab government is disregarding the Gurus' teachings of compassion and humanity, added Saini.
During the press conference earlier, Saini mentioned Bhai Kanahiya, a disciple of Guru Gobind Singh, and said he was known for offering water to everyone without any discrimination.
Taking a dig at Punjab CM, Saini told reporters, "Earlier too, I had told Bhagwant Mann that he should do politics of development".
"We used to get nearly 9,000 cusecs of water from them in April, May and June each year. Of this quantity, Delhi gets 500 cusecs, Rajasthan 800 cusecs... We are left with less than 7,000 cusecs", he said.
He said AAP should stop playing dirty politics, especially since the people of Delhi have shown them the door in the assembly polls. He said Mann should work towards fulfilling people's expectations.
"...So far, there has not been any dispute till today pertaining to drinking water. Never before was water cut like this. I said they are playing dirty politics in view of the approaching polls. But people of Punjab, the farmers there also understand what they are doing, they are wise," he said.
"It's not like we are asking for a water supply for irrigation purposes. We are for the supply of drinking water," he said.
Hitting out at former Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, Saini said that at the time of the Delhi polls, he accused Haryana of "mixing poison in Yamuna".
He alleged that Kejriwal, the national convener of the AAP, was working behind the scenes. Mann is just reading out Kejriwal's script, he said.
"They (AAP) are not able to digest the defeat they had to face in Delhi. The poll loss has shocked Kejriwal," he said.
Saini said both he and Mann come from humble backgrounds and "we both know how our mothers used to carry water pots 2 km away from home. Therefore, he should not politicise the drinking water issue".
A fresh row has erupted between Punjab and Haryana over the issue of water release. The AAP government in the border state has refused to release more water to the BJP-ruled neighbouring state, claiming it has already utilised 103 per cent of its allocated share of water.
The BBMB has decided to release 8,500 cusecs of water to Haryana despite the Punjab government officials strongly objecting to it.
Drinking water supply never halted before Mann should focus on development Haryana CM
PTI
Updated: May 02, 2025 00:37 IST
(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)
