AAP Ministers Accuse Congress, SAD of Compromising Punjab’s Water Rights

• May 15, 2025

Chandigarh – Senior Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) ministers on Wednesday accused previous Congress and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) governments of failing to protect Punjab’s water interests, alleging they allowed neighboring states to draw from the state’s share of river water.

Punjab Cabinet ministers Barinder Kumar Goyal, Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal, Laljit Singh Bhullar, and Harbhajan Singh ETO made the accusations during a protest against the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) for releasing excess water to Haryana.

Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal criticized past administrations, saying, “Successive Congress and SAD governments never raised concerns over the misuse of Punjab’s water. SAD leaders remained silent because they had vested interests—many had farmhouses in Haryana and ensured direct canal water supply to them.”

Barinder Kumar Goyal accused the BBMB of “bullying” Punjab by releasing water to Haryana from its allocated share. He added that the board only reconsidered its decision after Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann adopted a firm stance on the issue.

Transport Minister Laljit Singh Bhullar said that previous governments had yielded to central pressure and signed water-sharing agreements that disadvantaged Punjab. “The current AAP government will seek a review of all such agreements with other states,” he announced.

Meanwhile, Harbhajan Singh ETO, Minister for Power, asserted that the present government would not allow the BBMB to release Punjab’s share of water to other states. “We are committed to safeguarding Punjab’s rights over its natural resources,” he said.

The issue of river water sharing remains a deeply contentious and politically sensitive matter in Punjab, with successive governments facing criticism for either inaction or compromise. AAP has now vowed to revisit and challenge historical decisions that it claims have undermined Punjab’s interests.