No water, take blood, Punjab minister tells Haryana; Cong says CMs in league

Punjab Cabinet minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal on Sunday asserted that the state “does not have even a single drop of water to give to other states,” while senior Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala accused the CMs of both Haryana and Punjab of engaging in a fixed match over the water-sharing issue.

Won’t bend

“We are ready to give our blood, but please do not talk about water," said Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal, Punjab minister

Speaking at an event in Pathankot, Dhaliwal said, “It is good for society if we help our neighbours. However, when we ourselves don’t have enough water, how we can share it with our neighbouring state?”

“Punjabis do not know how to bend. No state should try to put them under pressure. You should remember that Punjabis have died over water. It is improbable for us to part with our water, particularly when we have none. We are ready to give our blood, but please do not talk about water,” he added.

Dhaliwal said the Punjab Government was working on the dual aim of eradicating drugs and safeguarding its waters. “We should back our CM on this issue,” he quipped.

Surjewala, meanwhile, said both Haryana CM Nayab Singh Saini and Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann should stop “political theatrics” and focus on public interest. “The people of Haryana are being denied their rightful share of water while Saini and Mann continue exchanging ‘love’ letters or posing together for photos in Chandigarh,” he said.

Surjewala highlighted the severe water crisis in Haryana, stating that the supply of Bhakra water had been drastically reduced from 8,500 cusecs to just 4,000 cusecs, leading to acute drinking water shortages. He noted that over 215 water works had dried up, severely affecting 10 districts, while the tanker mafia was exploiting the situation by charging Rs 1,000 per tanker. He also expressed concern over the crisis in sowing the cotton crop (Narma), particularly in the cotton belt of Sirsa, Hisar, and Fatehabad, affecting nearly 5 lakh hectares.

Criticising Saini, Surjewala questioned why the CM was talking about filing a case in the Supreme Court and holding an all-party meeting instead of seeking intervention from the BJP-led Union Government. “A court intervention means depriving Haryana of its water rights for many months and years. What purpose does filing a case serve when both the BBMB and Haryana are under BJP control?” he asked, also questioning the silence of the BJP-led Centre and Power Minister Manohar Lal Khattar.

Surjewala urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to intervene and issue directions to Punjab under Article 257 of the Constitution to ensure Haryana receives its rightful water share. He also called upon Union Minister Manohar Lal Khattar to fulfil his duty and protect Haryana’s interests beyond party lines.

Punjab