In the midst of the ongoing water-sharing dispute between Punjab and Haryana, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) workers, led by Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, staged a ‘sit-in’ protest on Thursday at the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) premises in Nangal. The protest, which highlights the growing tensions over water rights, came even as Haryana accused the AAP government of undermining constitutional institutions and disrespecting the rule of law.

Punjab CM Mann, speaking at the protest, alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government was using the BBMB to serve its own political interests. The BBMB, originally set up to manage the waters of the Sutlej and Beas rivers, has, according to Mann, been instrumental in diverting Punjab’s water to other states over the years. He further accused the Chairman of the BBMB of attempting to illegally divert Punjab’s water. “In recent days, the BJP, through its Haryana government, the central government, and the BBMB, has been trying to deprive Punjab of its rightful share of water,” Mr. Mann charged.

Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, in response, criticised the AAP government for not respecting the Constitution and the country’s constitutional institutions. He pointed out that Punjab had disregarded the ruling of the Punjab and Haryana High Court on the water-sharing issue, which he termed “unfortunate”.

Union Minister for Railways and Food Processing, Ravneet Singh Bittu, also weighed in on the matter, calling for a police case to be registered against the AAP leaders for obstructing government officials in the performance of their duties. He accused Mann of playing “dirty politics” at a time when the country faces external threats.

The BBMB, which manages the distribution of water from the Bhakra, Pong, and Ranjit Sagar dams, is at the centre of the water-sharing arrangement between Punjab, Haryana, and Rajasthan. The water from these dams is used for various purposes, including irrigation. The Punjab and Haryana High Court had recently restrained the Punjab government from interfering in the daily functioning of the BBMB, a decision that has sparked further controversy.

Earlier this month, the BBMB decided to release an additional 4,500 cusecs of water from the Bhakra Nangal dam to meet the urgent water needs of Haryana and parts of Rajasthan, a move that the Union government had urged Punjab to comply with.