A political storm erupted in Punjab on Friday after Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s controversial statement that his State would not allow water from its Indus basin rivers to flow to Punjab, Haryana, and Rajasthan. The remarks, which come in the backdrop of India keeping the Indus Water Treaty in abeyance, triggered sharp and united reactions from Punjab’s political leadership, cutting across party lines.

From the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) to the opposition Congress and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), leaders condemned the statement, accusing Omar Abdullah of politicizing a sensitive national issue. They unanimously asserted Punjab’s rightful claim over a share of the Indus waters, pointing to the state’s agrarian crisis, its contribution to national food security, and the historic injustices meted out to it in river water sharing.

AAP: “Punjab has a rightful claim; water is a national resource”

AAP spokesperson Neel Garg took strong exception to Abdullah’s assertion, reminding that decisions regarding inter-state and international rivers are the domain of the Central Government, not a unilateral call by any state Chief Minister. â€œPunjab, like J&K, is a border state. In times of war, we become the battlefield. In times of peace, we feed the nation. And now, when there’s a chance to reclaim our share of water, we’re told we don’t deserve it?” said Garg, adding that more than 100 blocks in Punjab have slipped into the ‘dark zone’ due to groundwater over-extraction. Citing Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s consistent demand that Punjab must be compensated with water now prevented from going to Pakistan, Garg said: “The annulment of the Indus Water Treaty has opened the door for corrective justice. Punjab must be prioritized in any new arrangement.”

Congress: “Omar’s remarks reek of political opportunism”

Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring also criticized Omar Abdullah’s remarks, calling them “unbecoming and discordant”. â€œThis is not the time to indulge in political posturing. The canals in question are meant to divert water from flowing to Pakistan — why would any Indian oppose that?” asked Warring. He said that Omar’s attempt to block the natural flow of rivers through Punjab was impractical and politically charged. He further emphasized, “Omar should ask himself — where will this water go if not through Punjab? Diverting it anywhere else is not only geographically irrational but also irresponsible in the context of national security and federal cooperation.”

SAD: “Undo historic injustice with Punjab”

Akali Dal also launched a scathing attack on Omar Abdullah, framing his comments as another chapter in the long history of discrimination against Punjab over river waters. Senior SAD leader and former minister Daljit Singh Cheema said that the Central Government, particularly under Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, had historically wronged Punjab by awarding significant river water shares to non-riparian states like Rajasthan. “Omar’s demand is an extension of that injustice,” he said. Cheema highlighted that Punjab’s farmers, who helped make the nation food-secure, are now neck-deep in debt due to depleted groundwater and shrinking river flows. “If the Indus Water Treaty is now being put on hold, this is a historic opportunity for the Centre to right the past wrongs. Punjab must be given priority,” he said. He also urged Omar Abdullah to consider the plight of Punjab’s farmers before making “dangerous and divisive” remarks. “This is not just about one state. This is about national integrity, agricultural survival, and equitable water distribution.”

Punjab’s United Call: “Time for Centre to Do Justice with Punjab”

Despite political rivalries, all three parties — AAP, Congress, and SAD — agreed on one point: the Centre must treat this moment as a chance to correct decades of discrimination against Punjab in water distribution. They called upon the Union Government to factor in Punjab’s worsening water crisis, its critical role in India’s food security, and the strategic importance of water-sharing policies among border states. “Punjab deserves a fair and transparent share of the water from the Indus system, not more political rhetoric,” said a joint political observer.