In a rare show of unity, all political parties in the Punjab Assembly on Monday unanimously passed a resolution declaring that Punjab will not give a single extra drop of water to Haryana beyond what is already being shared on humanitarian grounds.
The resolution came during a special one-day session, following a controversial BBMB (Bhakra Beas Management Board) order that directed Punjab to release 8,500 cusecs of water to Haryana. Punjab has argued that Haryana has already exhausted its share, and only 4,000 cusecs are being supplied for drinking purposes.
Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said Punjab has no spare water to offer, as the state’s irrigation needs have grown. “Every drop is precious now,” he stated, noting that canal water coverage in Punjab has expanded from 22% in 2021 to nearly 60% today.
The House also demanded the reconstitution of the BBMB and condemned the BJP-led Centre for “unconstitutional interference.” The resolution accused past Congress governments of signing flawed water agreements and urged the need for a new, fair water-sharing deal.
While BJP MLAs opposed the resolution’s criticism of their party, they supported the stand on protecting Punjab’s water.
Opposition leader Partap Singh Bajwa called water the “soul of Punjab” and asked for all-party unity to defend the state’s rights. Akali Dal’s Manpreet Ayali and BJP’s Ashwani Sharma echoed support for Punjab but clashed on political blame.
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