A major political slugfest has erupted in Punjab following the BBMB’s controversial decision to release 8,500 cusecs of additional water to Haryana — triggering fierce reactions from across the political spectrum in Punjab. The move has united ruling and opposition leaders alike in a chorus of outrage, while simultaneously deepening inter-party rivalries over how the state should safeguard its depleting water resources.
AAP Leads Offensive: “Daylight Robbery” of Punjab’s Waters
Leading the charge, AAP’s Punjab unit president and Cabinet Minister Aman Arora dubbed the BBMB's action as “daylight robbery”, vowing to “fight tooth and nail” against what he called the Centre’s betrayal. “The BJP is attempting to steal Punjab’s water despite the state having a 60 percent stake in BBMB. Haryana’s demand of 8,500 cusecs is over 1,700 cusecs more than its share,” said Arora, adding that the AAP government will not tolerate this “loot and goondagardi”.
Announcing an emergency all-party meeting on Friday and a special Vidhan Sabha session on Monday, Arora challenged Punjab BJP leaders to declare their stance: “If Sunil Jakhar, Ravneet Bittu, Tarun Chugh, and Capt Amarinder Singh are sons of Punjab, they should resign in protest.”
Seconding Arora’s attack, Water Resources Minister Barinder Kumar Goyal rejected BBMB’s directive outright. “BBMB’s own data shows Haryana has already consumed 104 percent of its allocated water for the year — 3.110 MAF against 2.987 MAF. The current demand is not for drinking water, but clearly for irrigation,” said Goyal, warning the Centre’s “coercive policies” would endanger India’s federal structure.
“The BJP governments at the Centre and in Haryana are plundering Bhakra’s resources. Our groundwater is already critically over-exploited in 115 out of 153 blocks. Punjab has no drop to spare,” he said, holding Union Minister Manohar Lal Khattar responsible for “bias in water allocation”.
BJP Counters: “Political Drama by AAP to Divert Attention”
Reacting sharply, Union Minister Ravneet Singh Bittu accused the Mann Government of politicizing the water issue to derail Centre-farmer talks. “This is pure theatrics. I spoke with the BBMB Chairman — no extra water is being released from Punjab’s quota. CM Mann is deliberately misleading people,” said Bittu.
He claimed that AAP is disrupting ongoing negotiations with farmer unions, many of which have already declared a boycott of the May 4 meeting due to AAP’s interference. “This is a calculated distraction because farmer groups have rejected Mann’s politics,” Bittu said, also condemning the attack on the BJP office in Ludhiana by AAP workers.
Punjab BJP president Sunil Jakhar launched a stinging rebuttal, saying, “Resorting to protests while border tensions rise is highly irresponsible. The same Mann who told the Supreme Court he’s ready for SYL construction is now playing the victim. AAP is staging these protests to deflect attention from their Rs 2,000 crore classroom scam in Delhi.”
Jakhar emphasized BJP’s stand, “Punjab has no surplus water. But giving drinking water on humanitarian grounds isn’t a crime. AAP must stop its hypocrisy and remember their promises during the Haryana elections.”
BJP general secretary Anil Sareen further accused the Mann government of failure. “Instead of fighting in BBMB meetings, Mann was busy issuing statements. This betrayal will push Punjab’s farmers into a deeper water crisis,” he said, announcing statewide BJP protests on Friday.
Cong Voices Alarm, Questions Centre’s Intent
Opposition Congress leaders, while critical of AAP’s governance, have rallied against the BBMB’s decision. Punjab Congress president Amrinder Singh Raja Warring said: “The Centre’s decision to allot 8,500 cusecs to Haryana reeks of bias. This is an existential crisis for Punjab’s agriculture.”
Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa demanded that Prime Minister Modi clarify his position. “The Centre cannot bypass Punjab’s rights like this. It’s not Haryana vs Punjab — it’s Delhi vs Punjab now.”
Congress MP Manish Tewari posted on X (formerly Twitter): “If Haryana needs water, let it go to the SC. Arbitrary release by BBMB is unconstitutional. Punjab should immediately file for injunction.”
SAD’s Sukhbir Slams Centre, Calls for Legal Action
SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal denounced the Centre for “trying to forcibly snatch Punjab’s waters”. “The Modi government is pushing Punjab towards desertification. We demand an immediate stay on BBMB’s illegal move,” he said, adding that his party will support legal recourse and mass mobilization.
Sukhbir warned that water is an emotive issue in Punjab. “This isn’t politics — this is about Punjab’s survival. We will not allow a repeat of historical injustices like SYL,” he declared.