A major political storm has erupted in Punjab over the Union Government’s decision to deploy Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel at the Bhakra Dam complex in Nangal. Terming the move as “draconian” and a “conspiracy to rob Punjab of its water”, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Thursday launched a scathing attack on the Centre, declaring that Punjab will neither accept the deployment nor bear the Rs 8.58 crore annual expenditure that comes with it.
 
Mann, addressing the media in Sangrur, vehemently opposed the decision to station 296 CISF personnel at the dam — a crucial hydroelectric and irrigation infrastructure located in Punjab's Rupnagar district — especially when the Punjab Police have been securing the facility free of cost. “Why should we pay for a service we never asked for?” Mann questioned, holding up the Centre’s directive letter as evidence.
  
“Punjab is already providing security through its own police force without charging a single rupee. Now the Centre wants us to pay for CISF deployment. Why? So they can take our water and make us pay for it too?” said the Chief Minister. He warned that any attempt to “forcibly impose costs or central forces” will be met with stiff resistance, and announced that he would raise the issue directly with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the upcoming NITI Aayog meeting on Saturday.
 
Mann accused the Union Government of using security as a pretext to dilute Punjab’s control over its natural resources, especially water, which has long been a contentious issue between Punjab and neighbouring states like Haryana. “This is a calculated attempt to seize control of our waters under the garb of national security,” he said.
  
The Chief Minister directly named BJP leaders with roots in Punjab — including Capt Amarinder Singh, Sunil Jakhar, Manpreet Singh Badal, and Union Minister Ravneet Singh Bittu — and demanded that they clarify whether they had endorsed the Centre’s decision. “If they remain silent, history will remember them as traitors who betrayed Punjab’s waters,” Mann declared.
 
He also blasted the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB), calling it a “white elephant” and a “puppet of the BJP-led Centre”. Mann claimed that the BBMB’s recent moves — including approving the CISF deployment — were unilateral, opaque, and designed to serve political interests rather than public good. “The BBMB is acting under the Centre’s pressure and is actively working against Punjab’s interests,” he said.
  
The Centre’s decision to station CISF at the Nangal dam comes amid renewed tensions between Punjab and Haryana over water sharing. Haryana had earlier raised security concerns at the dam after Punjab refused to release additional water, prompting calls for a central security cover.
 
Initially, 435 CISF personnel were proposed, but the number was scaled down to 296. According to the directive, the BBMB — or failing that, the Punjab Government — would bear the Rs 8.58 crore cost for their deployment in 2025-26, with an average cost of Rs 2.90 lakh per jawan annually.
 
This deployment includes not only security personnel, but also infrastructure for their stay, travel, and amenities — all of which are to be arranged by Punjab, a stipulation Mann termed “humiliating and unconstitutional”.
  
Mann accused the BJP-led Centre of “systematically targeting” Punjab for political reasons. “Be it our credit limit, our RDF funds, or now this — the Modi Government is punishing Punjab because its people have never voted for them,” he said.
 
He also reminded the Centre of Punjab’s contributions to national food security and defence. “From farmers to soldiers, Punjab has always been at the forefront. But today, when we demand our rights, we’re penalized,” he said
 
Drawing parallels with other opposition-ruled states, Mann said that Punjab, along with Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal, was being forced to seek justice from the Supreme Court due to discriminatory Centre-State dynamics. “Federalism is under attack. Governors are being misused. Institutions are being subverted. We will not tolerate this,” he warned.
  
Security at the Bhakra-Nangal project was earlier managed by state forces — 146 personnel from Punjab Police and 201 from Himachal Pradesh Police, across various installations. However, with tensions mounting, Haryana and BBMB had pushed for central protection — a demand supported by Congress leader Randeep Surjewala as well.
 
Critics argued that the CISF deployment signaled a shift in the Centre’s approach to regional disputes — preferring administrative control over dialogue. Meanwhile, legal proceedings related to the issue are underway in the Punjab and Haryana High Court, which heard arguments on Thursday and will resume hearings on Friday.
  
At the heart of the controversy lies a deeper question of federal autonomy and Punjab’s rights over its own territory and resources. “We won’t allow Punjab’s name to be erased — not from our anthem, not from our land, and certainly not from our waters,” Mann said defiantly.
 
As the issue simmers, all eyes are now on the NITI Aayog meeting, where Mann is expected to make a forceful case for Punjab’s rights — and against what he calls an “undeclared emergency” being imposed on the state through bureaucratic and military diktats.
 
Punjab’s Objection Raises Eyebrows Amid Earlier Approval

Punjab Government’s objection to the deployment of CISF personnel at the Bhakra Dam has assumed significance, particularly since the State had itself approved the proposal in a full BBMB board meeting back in 2021. At that time, Congress was in power. The meeting, attended even by junior-level officers from Punjab, had cleared the plan to induct CISF for securing the sensitive Bhakra Dam installation.
 
Initially, 400 CISF personnel were to be deployed. However, following resistance from both Punjab and Himachal Pradesh over the displacement of their respective police contingents, BBMB revised the plan, adopting a hybrid model of CISF along with the police forces of both states. This brought down the CISF strength to 296.
 
While Punjab has only 15 police personnel stationed in the Nangal township and dam area, Himachal Pradesh deploys over 200 personnel for dam security, given that Bhakra and other BBMB dams fall within its territorial jurisdiction. Under the new plan, CISF would replace Himachal Police personnel at key dam sites, while Punjab Police would be reassigned to unguarded BBMB projects like Ganguwal and Nakkian, as well as canal bridges.
 
BBMB has now been directed to arrange housing in Nangal for the incoming CISF personnel.