Punjab Bears the Burden but Won’t Pay for Injustice: CM Mann
From Soldiers to Farmers, Punjab Sacrifices, Yet Faces Discrimination: CM Mann
Mann Challenges Opposition: Stand for Punjab’s Waters or Be Branded Traitors
Sangrur, May 22, 2025:
Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann fiercely criticized the BJP-led Union government for what he called a “conspiracy” to undermine Punjab by deploying the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) at Bhakra Dam. He declared that Punjab will not pay a single rupee for this “unwarranted” move and will strongly oppose it.
“Punjab has neither surplus water to share nor funds to spare for the Ministry of Home Affairs’ unjust CISF deployment,” Mann stated during a media interaction in Sangrur today.
Mann accused the Centre of attempting to seize Punjab’s water by stationing central forces at the dam. He highlighted Punjab’s significant contributions to national food security and the Indian Army, yet lamented the “stepmotherly treatment” meted out by the BJP. “They demand everything from Punjab—food grains, soldiers—but try to snatch our water through such tactics,” he said.
The Chief Minister announced he would raise the issue with the Prime Minister at the upcoming NITI Aayog meeting on Saturday. He criticized the BJP for punishing Punjab for not voting for them and warned that their “anti-Punjab syndrome” could lead to drastic measures, like omitting Punjab from the national anthem. Mann also called out Punjab’s opposition leaders, including Captain Amarinder Singh, Sunil Jakhar, Manpreet Singh Badal, and Union Minister Ravneet Singh Bittu, to clarify their stance on this issue.
Mann condemned the BJP-led government for undermining the federal structure and diluting constitutional bodies, citing the misuse of Governors to obstruct elected state governments. He described the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) as a “puppet” of the Centre, accusing it of working against Punjab’s interests. The proposed deployment of 296 CISF personnel at Bhakra Dam, costing Punjab Rs 8.58 crore, was labeled a “nefarious design” to dilute the state’s water rights, especially since Punjab Police already secures the dam at no cost.
Mann further criticized the Centre for withholding Punjab’s funds, including reduced credit limits and stalled Rural Development Fund (RDF) allocations, accusing it of bias against non-BJP states like Kerala, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, and Punjab, forcing them to seek Supreme Court intervention. He called BBMB a “white elephant” and rejected its current form, alleging it violates its own constitution under BJP pressure.
watch……ਪੰਜਾਬ : 20,000 ਕਿਲੋਮੀਟਰ ਲਿੰਕ ਸੜਕਾਂ ਦੀ 4000 ਕਰੋੜ ਰੁਪਏ ਦੀ ਲਾਗਤ ਨਾਲ ਕਾਇਆ ਕਲਪ
The Chief Minister credited Punjab’s people for resisting attempts by the BJP and BBMB to divert the state’s water. He stressed that with depleting water levels, all water-sharing agreements should be reviewed every 25 years. While Punjab has begun supplying Haryana its allocated water quota, Mann vowed that “not a single extra drop” would be given.
Mann also highlighted the irony of Punjab, a border state fighting terrorism and drugs, being asked to pay for central forces. Citing the 2015 Dinanagar attack, he noted that the Centre billed Punjab Rs 7.5 crore for paramilitary deployment. “It’s unacceptable that a state sacrificing its sons for the nation is forced to bear such costs,” he said.
