CHANDIGARH, May 2 — A high-stakes all-party meeting convened by the Punjab government began Friday morning at Punjab Bhawan, with Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann presiding over deliberations on the state’s ongoing standoff with the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) regarding water release to Haryana.
The meeting comes in response to BBMB’s recent order directing Punjab to release 8,500 cusecs of water to Haryana—a directive the Mann government has resisted, calling it an imposition on Punjab’s rights and autonomy over its river waters.
“Punjab will not be pressured into compromising on its share of water. We are committed to protecting the interests of our farmers and the state,” Mann had stated earlier this week.
Top representatives from across the political spectrum arrived for the meeting, underscoring the gravity of the issue. From Shiromani Akali Dal, Balwinder Singh Bhunder and Dr Daljit Singh Cheema are participating. Congress is represented by Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa and Rana KP. BJP Punjab president Sunil Jakhar and senior leader Manoranjan Kalia, along with AAP’s state president Aman Arora, are also in attendance.
Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) sent Avtar Singh Karimpuri and MLA Nachhattar Pal, while Sukhwinder Singh Sekhon from the CPI (Marxist) has also joined the deliberations.
The Punjab government had dispatched invitations to party heads and key leaders on Thursday night in a bid to forge a united front. Those invited included Sukhbir Singh Badal (SAD), Raja Warring (Congress), Sunil Jakhar (BJP), and Aman Arora (AAP), among others.
In a parallel development, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs has called for a meeting in Delhi at 11 a.m. today, chaired by Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan. Chief Secretaries and key officers from all BBMB partner states are expected to attend as the Centre seeks a resolution following Punjab’s refusal to comply with the BBMB’s Wednesday night directive.
Additionally, the Punjab government has announced a special session of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha scheduled for Monday to further deliberate on the implications of the water-sharing directive and to formalize the state’s stance.
“This issue transcends politics. It’s about Punjab’s lifeline—our rivers. We need consensus, not coercion,” said a senior state official close to the matter.
Read more: ‘Robbing Punjab’s Water’, CM Mann at Nangal Amid Dispute
