Centre should not ‘play with sentiments’ of Punjab: CM Mann

Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Tuesday (November 18, 2025) claimed that the Center has decided to postpone important issues related to Punjab, including sharing of river waters and other rights with neighboring states and restructuring of Panjab University.

CM Mann made the claim a day after he addressed the 32nd meeting of the Northern Regional Council chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Faridabad, where he expressed Punjab’s concerns.

Punjab Chief Minister said that in the meeting he said that the Center should not “play with the emotions” of Punjab by ignoring the interests of the State.

“The Center postponed all 11 issues related to Punjab after I expressed Punjab’s concerns and appealed to maintain status quo on Punjab-related issues. It will not allow the rights of Punjab to be taken over by anyone,” Mr. Mann told reporters at a press conference.

CM Mann said that in the meeting, he strongly opposed all the allegations made by the neighboring states and told the Home Minister that the rights of Punjab should not be allowed to be usurped.

“All the issues raised by other States were aimed at usurping the rights of Punjab and I strongly opposed them,” he said.

To help solve the problem of water scarcity for irrigation purposes in northern India, the Prime Minister suggested that after canceling the Indus River Water Treaty, 24 MAF water from the Chenab river should be diverted to Punjab and this could be channeled for irrigation purposes in all the northern states.

Asked about the pollution in the national capital and Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupa’s concerns that it was a result of farm fires in Punjab and other northern states, Mr. Mann claimed that Punjab’s image was being unnecessarily tarnished and that the pollution in Delhi was not a result of farm fires in Punjab as paddy cultivation was delayed there.

CM Mann said that Rajasthan and Himachal Pradesh have no right in the Bhakra Beas Board (BBMB) and their claims on the board have no basis as BBMB was formed after the reorganization of the State. The Chief Minister also claimed that Haryana had staked its claim on Panjab University a few years ago during the tenure of then Chief Minister Bansi Lal.

He said that the current restructuring of Panjab University Senate and Union proposed by the Center has been put on hold, that the Center does not intend to proceed with the restructuring and demanded that early elections be declared for the Panjab University Senate in view of the suffering of the agitating students.

CM Mann also suggested renaming the SYL canal as YSL (Yamuna-Satluj Link) canal by diverting Yamuna waters to Punjab.

He said river water agreements need to be reviewed every 25 years as neighboring states have “made a joke of the waters issue”, claiming that Punjab is suffering due to the demands made by neighboring states.

Mr. Mann also called for cleaning of the Pong dam and appealed to neighboring states and the Center to share the burden of cleaning it.