Bhagwant Mann, Partap Bajwa spar over state’s riparian rights

Chief minister Bhagwant Mann and leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa were engaged in a verbal spat over Punjab’s riparian rights during a special session of the assembly on Monday.

The tiff started when Mann questioned Bajwa over Congress-ruled Himachal Pradesh staying away from the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) meeting in which the decision to give Haryana extra water was taken.

Mann asked Bajwa to clear his stand on the issue as to why Congress-ruled Himachal boycotted the meeting if his party was so sincere about protecting Punjab’s riparian rights. Bajwa objected to this and asked for AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal’s stance on the Punjab water rights.

The heated exchange continued with the CM telling Bajwa that if the truth of the riparian rights of Punjab trampled by successive governments came out, Congress’ hands would be found frenzy with blood.

The debate also witnessed ruling members demanding an ‘apology’ from the Congress members over mishandling the issue of the waters of Punjab.

Demand for an apology was first made by the AAP member from Sardulgarh Gurpreet Singh Banawali when he accused Congress of compromising the state’s interests.

“If a big leader of the Congress can tender an apology for the party’s mistakes in Punjab during the ‘80s, LoP Bajwa must also do the same for compromising Punjab’s water rights,” Banawali said.

Bajwa objected and asked the speaker to conduct a meaningful debate on the serious issue.

Another salvo at Bajwa came from finance minister Harpal Singh Cheema who demanded accountability from opposition parties, especially Congress for historical blunders committed in tackling water issues of the state besides daring them to apologise to people of the state for their misdeeds.

Congress member Sukhpal Khaira said that a ‘deep state’ at the Centre is working against Punjab’s interests.

“Be it the decision of putting youth of Punjab behind bars under the National Security Act (NSA) or this move of giving Punjab’s water to Haryana, the deep state has been working against Punjab for years,” said Khaira.

Kapurthala MLA Rana Gurjeet said it was high time to work unitedly to save the waters of Punjab, rising above the political affiliations.

Education minister Harjot Bains highlighted Punjab’s precarious water situation and said the state’s agrarian economy relies heavily on groundwater. “With no coal, gold, or oil reserves, groundwater is Punjab’s only natural resource. However, over-exploitation of groundwater has led to 90% of its blocks being classified as dark zones,” he said.

Renewal energy minister and AAP state president, Aman Arora said Punjab has been betrayed repeatedly—whether it was Congress or BJP government at the Centre.

“They have always treated Punjab as a milking cow, taking our water and grain but giving nothing in return,” Arora said.

He pointed out that despite Punjab being a riparian state, non-riparian states like Haryana and Rajasthan were unlawfully given Punjab’s water, violating international riparian laws.

For the first-of-its-kind act, social security minister Dr Baljit Kaur paraded farmers from the Malout constituency to show how water reached the canal’s tail ends in the state.