Chandigarh, May 5:— In a rare display of political unity, Punjab’s ruling Aam Aadmi Party and opposition leaders joined forces in the Vidhan Sabha on Monday to oppose the Bhakra Beas Management Board’s (BBMB) directive asking the state to release an additional 8,500 cusecs of water to Haryana.
The one-day special session of the Assembly, convened by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, saw finance minister Harpal Cheema accuse both the central and Haryana governments of attempting to “loot” Punjab’s water. “Water is a huge necessity for Punjab. We have already given more than our share,” said Cheema. “Both the Haryana and central governments want to loot Punjab’s water. Our AAP government will not allow it. This isn’t politics—it’s about Punjab’s survival.”
Cheema’s remarks found support across the aisle. Congress leader of opposition Partap Singh Bajwa endorsed the AAP-led government’s stance. “The Congress has always stood with Punjab,” said Bajwa. “Punjab’s waters won’t be given to anyone else under any circumstances. We want the government to take a firm stand to secure the future of the state.”
The session followed an all-party meeting on May 2, chaired by CM Mann, where leaders from all political factions voiced unanimous opposition to the BBMB decision. The consensus: Punjab lacks excess water, and no other state should receive what little it has left.
Barinder Kumar Goyal, Punjab’s water resources minister, underscored the legal basis of the state’s position. “The issue isn’t how much water is in the reservoir,” he said. “It’s about rightful allocations. BBMB cannot act arbitrarily—we will work within the law to protect Punjab’s share.”
The BBMB order issued on April 30 called for the release of 8,500 cusecs of water to Haryana from the Bhakra-Nangal dam, in addition to the 4,000 cusecs Punjab has already been providing. The Punjab government, however, rejected the directive, citing concerns over rapidly depleting reservoir levels and the state’s own water scarcity.
Raising another dimension of the crisis, Abohar MLA Sandeep Jakhar, formerly with the Congress, pointed to deteriorating water quality within Punjab itself. “While we all agree that Punjab doesn’t have much water left, there’s also a serious issue—many people don’t even have access to clean drinking water,” he said.
The Assembly is expected to pass a resolution reaffirming Punjab’s right to control its own water resources, a move that has garnered support from across the political spectrum. As debates concluded, the message from the House was clear: Punjab stands united in protecting its water—no matter the political divide.
