Water Woes: Mann vs. Bittu Amid National Tensions

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann's refusal to release more water to Haryana amidst national tensions over a Pahalgam terror attack has sparked a political row. Union Minister Ravneet Singh Bittu accuses Mann of divisive politics, urging unity against Pakistan and demanding an apology for stoking inter-state tensions.

Puzzled by a controversy concerning water rights, Union Minister Ravneet Singh Bittu criticized Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann's decision to withhold additional water from Haryana. Bittu accused Mann of exacerbating inter-state tensions at a crucial time when the nation needs to unite against external threats following the Pahalgam terror incident.

Chief Minister Mann's stance, explained as an effort to prioritize Punjab's agricultural needs, was interpreted by Bittu as political maneuvering. Mann's administration held that Haryana had already used more than its allotted water share, yet Bittu insisted the timing of Mann's declarations distracted from more pressing national unity concerns.

This longstanding dispute over water resources managed by the Bhakra Beas Management Board, further complicated by the ongoing Sutlej-Yamuna Link Canal debate, drew additional responses from Haryana's Chief Nayab Singh Saini, highlighting the complexities involved in regional water management. Both states rely on Bhakra and Pong dams, intensifying the urgency of resolution.