The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Monday accused both Congress and BJP-led central governments of harming Punjab’s interests by allowing the sharing of its river waters with other states.
During a special Assembly session, AAP MLAs, led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, held the BJP responsible for escalating tensions with Haryana over water. They alleged the BJP was using its power at the Centre and in Haryana to take away Punjab’s water rights.
Finance Minister Harpal Cheema demanded an apology from the Congress for past compromises, while other AAP ministers pointed to controversial decisions made under previous Congress governments, including the 1966 Punjab Reorganisation Act, the 1960 Indus Water Treaty, and the 1985 Rajiv-Longowal Accord.
In response, Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa reminded the House that it was a Congress-led Punjab government in 2004 that passed the Punjab Termination of Agreements Act to cancel water-sharing agreements with other states.
Congress MLA Pargat Singh also raised concerns about the growing centralisation of power by the Centre, alleging that laws like the Dam Safety Act, 2021, were weakening India’s federal structure.
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