Chandigarh/ Nangal, May 2:

Punjab Education and Information & Public Relations Minister S. Harjot Singh Bains and Deputy Speaker of Punjab Vidhan Sabha S. Jai Krishan Singh Rouri, on Friday evening, visited Nangal Dam to ensure that Punjab’s water won’t go to Haryana. They also met the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) workers, safeguarding the dam around the clock, besides taking updates from officials on the current situation. Notably, Harjot Bains visited the dam for the 2nd day in row.

While addressing the media, S. Harjot Singh Bains asserted that Punjab  Government won’t share a single drop of Punjab’s water with Haryana or any other state. He accused the BJP-led Centre of plotting against Punjab’s economy and praised the Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann’s strong stance against BBMB’s move to loot waters of Punjab. The all-party meeting and special Assembly session demonstrate the state government’s commitment to safeguarding Punjab’s interests, he added.

The Education Minister S. Harjot Singh Bains stated that under Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann’s leadership, AAP workers are safeguarding Punjab’s interests like soldiers. He further informed that the officials posted at BBMB’s Nangal Dam and Nakkian, have been instructed to prevent any excess water from being released to any other states.

S. Bains criticised the Centre’s decision to allocate 8,500 cusecs of extra water to Haryana, saying it was a blatant  betrayal with Punjab.

“Water is our lifeline, and we’ll fiercely protect it. Despite Bhakra Dam being in our region and canals originating from here, our villages lack access to water. With paddy season approaching, sharing our water with other states is unthinkable”, S. Bains said while emphasising  Punjab’s reliance on agriculture and the crucial role of water in sustaining crops amid depleting groundwater levels. The Centre has consistently discriminated against Punjab, and now BJP-ruled states are following the suit.

S. Harjot Singh Bains pointed out the irony that when Punjab had surplus water during the monsoon season, Haryana and Rajasthan refused to take it. Now, with paddy sowing season approaching, Punjab can’t afford to spare water for other states. He highlighted the state’s efforts to ensure water supply for irrigation, including the Sarthar scheme for villages in Sri Anandpur Sahib constituency and pipeline projects for semi-mountainous areas, benefiting around 10,000 villages.

Meanwhile, the Deputy Speaker Jai Krishan Singh Rouri asserted that Punjabis, having made significant sacrifices for the country, will now stand firm in fighting for their rights. He emphasised that not a single drop of Punjab’s water will be allowed to be diverted outside the state.

Chandigarh, May 1:

In a bold move to safeguard Punjab’s waters, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) led Punjab Government has declared an all-out battle against the BJP-led Central Government’s “forced directive” to the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) to release excess water to Haryana.

Terming it a “daylight robbery,” the State President of AAP and Punjab Cabinet Minister Mr. Aman Arora said that  an emergency all-party meeting on Friday morning, followed by a Special Session of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha on Monday, to strategize against what he called the Centre’s “blatant betrayal” of the state’s rights.

Addressing the media after a high-level meeting with Punjab’s Cabinet Ministers, Aman Arora stated that Punjab will fiercely protect its interests and won’t allow BBMB to release excess water beyond Haryana’s share. He accused the BJP of deceiving Punjab, citing this action as another example of their true intentions.

The AAP President said that BJP is attempting to steal Punjab’s water, despite the state having a 60% share in BBMB, by allocating 4700 cusecs water to Haryana beyond the neighbouring state’s share, which is over 1,700 cusecs. He asserted that the Aam Aadmi Party-led government won’t tolerate this “loot” and “goondagardi” by BJP.

Highlighting the proactive stance of the state government, Mr. Aman Arora stated that AAP’s National Convenor Sh. Arvind Kejriwal visited Chandigarh to assess the situation, while Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann today’s visited Nangal Bhakra dam to prevent water theft.

“It is a high time for BJP’s Punjab unit leaders including Sunil Jakhar, Ravneet Bittu, Tarun Chugh, Captain Amarinder Singh and others to clear their stand whether they stand by Punjab or only serving their political bosses to save their chairs,” asked Mr. Aman Arora while adding that if they are real sons of the Punjab then they should resign from their posts to clear their stance on the issue. He also demanded that the BJP leaders should also immediately approach their national leaders and make them clear that Punjab has not any single drop of water to spare for Haryana or any other state.

Chandigarh May 1, 2025 –

The Punjab Vigilance Bureau during its ongoing drive against corruption in the state arrested General Manager PUNSUP, Ajit Pal Singh Saini, who also holds charges of Procurement, Storage, Commercial, Construction and Chief Vigilance Officer (CVO), red handed while he was accepting a bribe of Rs one lakh.

Disclosing this here today an official spokesperson of the state VB said the arrest has been made following a complaint lodged by a resident of Ferozpur district.

He further informed that the complainant has approached the VB and alleged that the aforementioned General Manager of PUNSUP has been demanding bribe of 10% of total embezzled amount of about Rs 1.25 crore, the price of 14090 paddy bags allegedly shown under bogus purchase, and had demanded Rs 2 lakh as a first instalment. However, the deal was settled for Rs one lakh after negotiations.

The complainant is a commission agent at Mandis in Shahzdi and Mana Singh Wala, in Ferozepur. During purchase of paddy by PUNSUP in year 2024, total about 34,250 paddy bags were found less during physical inspection of stocks in concerned rice mills.

The commission agent (Ahartiya) firm of the complainant was alleged to have been involved in reporting bogus purchase of total about 34,250 paddy bags. Subsequently, he was directed to deposit the deficient amount of Rs 2.97 crores, subsequently, the complainant has deposited Rs 2.50 crores with PUNSUP as recovery.

Eventually, the complainant filed a representation with Managing Director, PUNSUP that gate passes of about 19040 paddy bags were deleted later from online portal by District Manager, Ferozepur and Inspectors of PUNSUP Ferozepur, as such he was wrongly fined for these bags. Thereafter, accused Ajit Pal Saini, GM approached the complainant through a common acquaintance Kanwal Deep and demanded bribe for settling the matter in the favour of the complainant.

The complainant has recorded an audio conversation of the accused wherein he demanded Rs 2,00,000 as first instalment. Earlier District Manager Ferozepur and 2 Inspectors of PUNSUP Ferozepur have also been suspended by the Department in the same matter.

The spokesperson added that preliminary verification of allegations were conducted discreetly and after finding the allegations prima facie to be true, a VB team from flying squad laid a trap during which the aforementioned General Manager was caught red handed in the Parking of Max Hospital, phase 6, Mohali while he was accepting a bribe of Rs 1 lakh from the complainant in the presence of two official witnesses. In this regard a case under prevention of corruption act has been registered VB police station, Flying Squad-1, Punjab at Mohali.

The VB team has recovered Rs 1,00,000 bribe money from his possession and official car of the accused in which he came on the spot to receive money, was also taken into possession. He would be produced in the competent court tomorrow and further investigation into this case was under progress, he said.

Chandigarh, May 1, 2025

 The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) strongly opposed the Bhakra Beas Management Board’s (BBMB) decision to release an additional 8,500 cusecs of Punjab’s water to Haryana. AAP MP Kang said that this decision, taken under pressure from the BJP-led Central Government, is unconstitutional and an outright assault on Punjab’s rights.

AAP MP from Sri Anandpur Sahib, Malvinder Singh Kang, has called this move a grave injustice that jeopardizes Punjab’s farmers, its water security, and the state’s future generations. In a letter to BJP MP Ravneet Singh Bittu, Kang lambasted the BJP government for orchestrating this “daylight robbery” of Punjab’s rightful resources while accusing Bittu of maintaining a shameful silence on the matter.

“The BBMB decision is not just an administrative order—it is a direct attack on Punjab’s lifeline. Despite the fact that Haryana has already overdrawn its share of water, BJP has forced BBMB to hand over Punjab’s precious water to Haryana, leaving our farmers and citizens at risk of severe water scarcity. This is an insult to Punjab’s 3.5 crore people,” said Kang.

The BBMB annually distributes water between Punjab, Haryana, and Rajasthan from May 21 to the following May 20. However, Kang revealed that Haryana, after exhausting its full share by March 31, 2025, demanded an additional 4,000 cusecs daily from Punjab. Punjab, led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, allowed this on humanitarian grounds to meet Haryana’s basic drinking water needs. However, BJP has now arm-twisted BBMB into granting Haryana an additional 8,500 cusecs—an action that AAP calls unlawful and unacceptable.

“Our reservoirs—Bhakra, Pong, and Ranjit Sagar dams—are already at dangerously low levels. With groundwater levels depleting across the state, every drop of water is vital for Punjab’s farmers. Yet, BJP is sacrificing Punjab’s needs to appease Haryana. This is nothing short of bulldozing Punjab’s rights,” Kang stated.

Kang expressed disappointment at BJP MP Ravneet Singh Bittu’s silence, accusing him of prioritizing his party’s political alliances over Punjab’s welfare. “Bittu’s inaction raises serious questions about whether he stands with Punjab or has surrendered to BJP’s unconstitutional diktats. The people of Punjab deserve answers,” Kang asserted.

AAP, under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, has taken a firm stand to expose BJP’s unconstitutional actions. Highlighting Haryana CM’s misleading statements that Punjab had agreed to this water diversion, the AAP government clarified that Haryana has already consumed 103% of its allocated share while Punjab has used only 89%. Despite this, Punjab extended support to Haryana, but BJP’s latest decision crossed all limits.

Kang reiterated that Punjab’s farmers and people will not tolerate this injustice. “Punjab’s history is filled with struggles to protect its resources and rights. Today, we face a similar challenge. AAP and the people of Punjab will resist BJP’s blatant disregard for Punjab’s welfare,” he affirmed.

In his letter to Bittu, Kang posed some serious questions to Bittu, “Are you with Punjab, or complicit in the BJP’s exploitation of the state’s resources? Why haven’t you raised the issue of BBMB’s illegal decisions in Parliament? Why are you silent on the alarming depletion of water levels in Punjab’s dams? Your inability to address these pressing questions raises serious doubts about your commitment to Punjab’s rights. The youth, intellectuals, and people from all walks of life are closely observing this anti-Punjab stance. It is time for you to either stand firmly for Punjab’s interests or relinquish the position you hold, which was secured in Punjab’s name but appears to serve BJP’s agenda.”

AAP demands immediate reversal of BBMB’s decision and calls on all political parties in Punjab to unite and defend the state’s interests. The party also urges BJP leaders like Ravneet Singh Bittu to take a clear stand and oppose this unconstitutional decision in Parliament.

Taking to social media, Kang wrote on his X (formerly Twitter) account, “The @BJP4India-led Central Government has crossed all limits by forcing BBMB to release 8,500 cusecs of Punjab’s water to Haryana. This is nothing short of an unconstitutional act of daylight robbery.”

Kang assured the people of Punjab that the AAP Government will continue to fight for their rights and protect the state’s resources. Kang concluded that Punjab’s future cannot and will not be compromised for political gains.