Chandigarh, May 1 Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Thursday slammed his Punjab counterpart Bhagwant Mann for “politicising” the issue of water distribution, calling it deeply regrettable and against the spirit of national unity.
Emphasising that this is not a matter of irrigation but of essential drinking water, the Chief Minister said such basic human needs must never be turned into political tools.
“Punjab is the sacred land of the Gurus,” he said, “and it is unfortunate that the Bhagwant Mann-led Punjab government is disregarding the Gurus' teachings of compassion and humanity.”
Saying water is a lifeline, not a political weapon, the Chief Minister said the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) “is unable to tolerate its defeat in Delhi. They showed big dreams to the people of Delhi, but were thrown out of power there. Now they are trying to save face in Punjab, but they will not be able to succeed there either.”
Tracing the roots, a soft-spoken Saini said, “Both Bhagwant Mann and I come from humble families. We both know how our mothers used to carry water pots from two kilometres. Therefore, he should not politicise drinking water. I request Bhagwant Mann not to be misled by others and to use his own wisdom. Respect the mandate given by the people of Punjab and do not create animosity between Haryana and Punjab.”
Advising the Punjab Chief Minister, Saini said he should not indulge in petty politics over water but instead focus on the development of Punjab.
“The people of Punjab have given him a mandate. He should work in the interest of the people and live up to their expectations,” he said.
Criticising his counterpart, Saini said earlier that they got a lathi-charge done on farmers.
“I have always said that farmers are the ones who feed the nation; they are hardworking people. But even then, they were subjected to violence. Punjab should abandon such low-level politics,” he said.
The Chief Minister urged that politics should rise above party lines and be directed toward the development of Punjab. He said that the issue is not about irrigation water but about drinking water.
“It is part of our culture, and we have learned from the Gurus to offer water even to strangers. In the entire history so far, there has never been a dispute over drinking water. But now, since elections are approaching in Punjab, AAP is playing politics,” Saini added.
He said that during April, May, and June, extra water flows due to the heat.
“The population is continuously increasing, and so is the demand for water. If we look at the NCR area, a lot of industries have come up,” he added.
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