SYL sidestepped, Bhakra water sparks new war

A routine administrative call by the Punjab Government to withhold additional water release to Haryana has snowballed into a fierce political slugfest, underscoring the deepening tensions between the neighbouring states ahead of the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections.

This time, it's not the contentious Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal in the spotlight, but the sharing of Bhakra waters managed by the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB). The recent flashpoint emerged after Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann released a video accusing the BJP-led Centre of coercing Punjab to divert excess water to Haryana.

“We have been giving 4,000 cusecs daily to Haryana on humanitarian grounds for its drinking water needs,” Mann said, citing a “significant decline” in reservoir levels. He charged the BJP with “playing a dirty game” and trying to arm-twist Punjab through the BBMB.

Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini hit back, accusing Mann of reneging on the BBMB agreement reached on April 23. “As per the agreement, 8,500 cusecs of water were to be released to Haryana. In fact, we have usually received over 9,500 cusecs in May and June,” Saini said. He alleged that Mann was sabotaging the pact just to “polish his image in Punjab.”

The war of words escalated with Mann declaring that he “would not allow the saffron party to succeed in its nefarious designs against Punjab.” He further alleged that the BBMB was being “illegally used” by the BJP for political ends. Notably, the BBMB reports to the Union Power Ministry, currently helmed by former Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar.

The controversy has triggered all-party meetings in Chandigarh, the joint capital of Punjab and Haryana, as political actors seek to score points. At the heart of the matter is the annual BBMB allocation cycle — from May 21 to the following May 21 — where Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan receive their water quotas.

While Haryana pressed for extra water during the April 23 BBMB meeting, Punjab argued its reservoirs were too depleted to meet the demand. Insiders suggest the refusal wasn’t just about hydrology but political calculation too.

With the BJP expanding its footprint in Punjab — following electoral gains in Haryana, Delhi, and Rajasthan — the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) appears rattled. After losing Delhi to the BJP, AAP now governs only Punjab, and the party sees the Haryana CM’s rising presence in Punjab as a threat. The BJP has positioned Saini, an OBC leader, to tap into Punjab’s 38% Hindu electorate in 2027.

Facing growing unease with sections of the farmer unions, Mann is attempting to revive his rural base by positioning himself as a defender of Punjab’s waters — much like former CM Capt Amarinder Singh, under whose tenure the Punjab Assembly passed the Termination of Agreements Act, 2004.

Whether this water row turns into a political wave — or washes away in rhetoric — remains to be seen as Punjab heads into a high-stakes electoral battle in 2027.