Rajya Sabha MP Randeep Surjewala calls for central intervention to end Punjab-Haryana water dispute.

Chandigarh: Amidst the war of words between Punjab and Haryana over the issue of releasing water, Rajya Sabha MP and AICC general decretary Randeep Surjewala on Sunday asked the chief ministers of the two neighbouring states, Bhagwant Mann and Nayab Saini, to forego political collusion and consider the larger public interest.
Surjewala, who was interacting with media persons here on the ongoing tussle between the two states over Bhakra waters, specifically targeted Union minister Manohar Lal Khattar, urging him to fulfil ‘Rajdharma' to ensure Haryana's right to water. At the same time, he also urged PM Modi to issue directions to Punjab under Article 257 of the Constitution to ensure Haryana's right to water.
Notably, for the past week, Punjab reduced the release of water to Haryana from BBMB to 4,000 cusecs, claiming that Haryana exhausted its quota in March. "The Modi govt should hand over the security of Bhakra Nangal Dam to CISF, and the Govt of India should retrieve control of Bhakra Nangal Dam from the illegal occupation of Punjab Police," said Surjewala.
Surjewala claimed there is a severe water shortage in Haryana, and listed the districts suffering the most. Surjewala also claimed that this has led to the unannounced rule of the water tanker mafia in the state. This comes along with the threat of a drought-like situation for districts where cotton and maize are to be sown.
"Amidst the severe water crisis in Haryana, the chief ministers of Punjab and Haryana, Mr Bhagwant Mann and Mr Nayab Saini, are busy only in rhetoric and writing ‘love letters' to each other. Alternatively, they are seen together in Chandigarh getting photographed or hugging each other. Punjab chief minister Mann is intoxicated with power," said Surjewala.
"Nayab Saini, instead of getting Haryana's rights settled from the central BJP govt, especially Prime Minister Narendra Modi and power minister Manohar Lal Khattar, is only pretending to take action by sometimes calling an all-party meeting and sometimes finding excuses to go to court. Their malintent is clear – play politics and fool the people," added Surjewala.
Surjewala said that the attitude of the BJP govt at the Centre is even more shocking. "The Modi govt is sleeping at the wheel as if it has nothing to do with Punjab or Haryana. BBMB (Bhakra Beas Management Board) is a project of the central govt. The BBMB board is formed by the power ministry of the country, whose minister is Manohar Lal Khattar. The power ministry also has direct control over BBMB. The Bhakra Dam is also completely under BBMB and the ministry of power, Govt of India," he said.
"What is the reason that the Modi govt is not issuing directions to the Bhagwant Mann govt to remove Punjab police from the dam site?" he questioned.
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