CHANDIGARH: A day after the Punjab and Haryana High Court restrained Punjab government from interfering in the operation and functioning of the Nangal dam and Lohand control room, the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) chairman Manoj Tripathi was held hostage by the ruling AAP protesters.
The high-voltage drama ensued when AAP supporters led by state education minister Harjot Bains stopped BBMB chairman Manoj Tripathi by staging a dharna on the road leading to the dam and later locked him up in the rest house belonging to the board.
Tripathi was eventually freed from the clutches of AAP functionaries by the Punjab police.
The AAP protesters disallowed Tripathi from releasing water. When he headed for Sutlej Sadan, the rest house of the board at Nangal, Harjot Singh Bains landed at the main gate of the rest house and locked up Tripathi, sources said.
AAP MLA from Chamkaur Sahib, Dr Charanjit Singh was at the spot and claimed that locals had gathered as they were upset at water being released to Haryana.
Punjab Police led by DIG of Ropar Range Harcharan Bhullar reached the spot and made sure that the main gate of the rest house was opened. Following this, Tripathi was escorted out of the rest house by the police amid heavy sloganeering by AAP workers.
Talking to the media, Bhullar said that the public was told not to take law into their own hands.
When asked if police will be taking any action against the protesters for locking BBMB chariman, Bhullar said that a case will be registered under relevant sections according to the complaint.
Bains said that the AAP workers stopped the BBMB chairman from releasing water to Haryana without consent of Punjab and demanded that a case would be registered against the chairman.
CM blames BBMB chairman
Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann who landed at the dam allegedly accused the BBMB chairman of "illegally" releasing 200 cusecs of water to Haryana.
While addressing the protesters outside the rest house, Mann alleged that Manoj Tripathi supervised the release of water from the Nangal Dam earlier in the day. He further said that if unrest breaks out in Punjab over this issue, the BBMB chairman will be held responsible.
"This is an irresponsible act at a time when the country is on high alert,’’ he said.
"Neither the Centre nor the Punjab Government or the High Court has directed BBMB to release extra water to Haryana. The advisory issued during the May 2 meeting only suggested release of 4,500 cusecs,’’ Mann added.
Mann further said that Punjab does not have surplus water and the state cannot afford to release more water when several villages are already reeling under shortage of water for irrigation and drinking purposes.
Later Mann asked the AAP workers to maintain a constant vigil at the Nangal Dam, alleging that BBMB is functioning on the instructions of the BJP-led Central Government.
The release of additional 4,500 cuses of water has become a major bone of contention between Punjab and Haryana.
The BBMB chairman had today reached the dam to oversee water regulation after the Punjab and Haryana high court had yesterday restrained the Punjab government from interfering in the board’s work in Nangal.
Opposition parties hit out at AAP
Senior BJP leader and Union minister Ravneet Singh Bittu demanded that a case be registered against Punjab CM Mann and Education Minister Bains for illegally detaining a government official and acting against national interests. Bittu said BBMB chairperson Manoj Tripathi went to oversee the security of the dam because of the present situation.
"When the matter is already before the courts and the state assembly has already passed a resolution saying that not a single drop of water will be given to any state, why this drama?" he questioned.
Senior Congress leader and leader of opposition Partap Singh Bajwa wrote on X,``@BhagwantMann Punjab’s CM, dashes to BBMB for cheap optics but shies away from legal recourse. Too scared to fight for Punjab’s rights or just orchestrating a drama to mask your inaction? Your photo-ops can’t hide your retreat! @INCIndia @INCPunjab.’’
Senior Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Bikram Singh Majithia said that education minister Harjot Bains resorted to a cheap drama at Nangal by locking the Satluj Bhawan even as the AAP government agreed to release additional water to Haryana in the high court.
It is shocking that on the one hand the government has agreed to release additional water to Haryana and even disclosed that it had only deployed police personnel at Nangal in view of the law and order situation following the Pahalgam attacks and on the other its minister is again going on a meaningless locking spree.
Majithia said such cheap publicity stunts at a time when the country was in a face off with Pakistan and bombs were falling on the Punjab border would only strengthen the enemy country.
Senior Congress leader and leader of opposition Partap Singh Bajwa said that it is deeply unfortunate that at such a juncture, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) are resorting to theatrics instead of addressing issues vital to national security and state welfare. Today’s incident is a glaring example of this misplaced focus. AAP Minister Harjot Bains staged a dramatic spectacle, claiming he confined BBMB Chairman Manoj Tripathi to prevent an unauthorized water release to Haryana.
Bajwa strongly condemned these antics, which distract from the real issues at hand. The BBMB demanded mature and responsible action, not political stunts. CM Mann lost precious 48 hours and didn’t approach the Supreme Court after the High Court gave an order in favour of BBMB and against the interests of Punjab.
His cabinet should advise him to take governance seriously rather than doing theatrics.
Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini said that even in the current sensitive circumstances facing the country, Mann continues to indulge in politics, which is deeply unfortunate. This is a contempt of court, he reminded.
Saini added that the Haryana Government has already apprised the Punjab and Haryana High Court of the present situation and assured that whatever decision the Court delivers, Haryana will fully accept and abide by it.
He said that the Aam Aadmi Party-led government in Punjab neither respects the Constitution nor the country’s constitutional institutions.
He further stated that the people of Haryana are facing a serious drinking water crisis. He said that water is essential for life. Yet, the Punjab Chief Minister is withholding it for gaining political mileage.