Shri Karamjit Singh Rintu, National Joint Secretary and Spokesperson of the Aam Aadmi Party and Chairman of the Amritsar Improvement Trust, has strongly condemned the Bhakra Beas Management Board’s (BBMB) decision to release 8,500 cusecs of water to Haryana. He described the move as a betrayal of Punjab and its people.
Mr. Rintu stated, “The BBMB’s decision is technically and legally flawed. Haryana has already drawn more than its allocated share of water, and now releasing additional water during the critical Rabi season is a grave injustice to Punjab’s farmers.”He highlighted that the capacity of the Bhakra Main Line Canal is 10,000 cusecs, while Haryana’s legally sanctioned share is only up to 7,000 cusecs.
The decision was forced through by a vote under political pressure, bypassing technical objections raised by Punjab’s engineers, which raises serious questions about BBMB’s impartiality. Rintu accused the central government of deliberately trying to deprive Punjab of its rightful share of water.
Citing the SYL canal controversy, the suppression of the farmers’ protest, and the halting of grants to panchayats, he asserted that the BJP’s anti-Punjab policies will no longer be tolerated.
The Aam Aadmi Party demands:
• Immediate withdrawal of the BBMB order,
• A clear national policy regarding Punjab’s water rights, and
• That all future decisions be taken only with the consensus of the technical committee.
Rintu warned that if needed, the Aam Aadmi Party and three crore Punjabis are prepared to go to any extent to protect Punjab’s water rights.