Karnal (Haryana) [India], April 28 (ANI): Bharatiya Kisan Union President Naresh Tikait on Monday called the government’s decision to suspend the Indus Water Treaty with Pakistan a “wrong decision,” saying that “every farmer needs water.”
“This is a wrong decision. The treaty should have continued. We are against this. We are farmers, and every farmer needs water,” Naresh Tikait said.
Tikait’s statement faced strong backlash from Bharatiya Janata Party’s leaders, accusing him of “speaking the language of Pakistan” after which his brother, Rakesh Tikait jumped to the rescue, saying “he had no such intentions”, and clarified that they stand with the government.
“A lot of people from the Press were questioning him about the issue (Indus Water Treaty)…There is no such intention. We are with the government and our armed forces on this issue. Strict decisions should be taken and we will stand with them,” Rakesh Tikait clarified.
Meanwhile, President of the BJP Kisan Morcha, Rajkumar Chahar, slammed Naresh Tikait over his statement, accusing him of “speaking the language of Pakistan”.
“PM Modi has taken many steps, including stopping water going to Pakistan. But BKU President Naresh Tikait has said that the steps taken by the government of India are wrong. He has said that the river water going to Pakistan should not be stopped, as it will affect the farmers. Naresh Tikat has started speaking the language of Pakistan. He should be ashamed. I condemn his statement. He should apologise to the nation,” Chahar said in a self-made video.
India has suspended the Indus water treaty, which allocates the Western Rivers (Indus, Jhelum, Chenab) to Pakistan and the Eastern Rivers (Ravi, Beas, Sutlej) to India.
The decisions to put the treaty at abeyance was taken as an countermeasure after the Pahalgam terror attack in which 26 people were killed.
The Indus Waters Treaty was signed in 1960, following nine years of negotiations between India and Pakistan, with the assistance of the World Bank, which is also a signatory. The negotiations were initiated by former World Bank President Eugene Black. Recognised as one of the most successful international treaties, it has endured frequent tensions, including conflict, and has provided a framework for irrigation and hydropower development for over half a century.
The Treaty allows each country certain uses of the rivers allocated to the other. The treaty gives India 20 per cent of the water from the Indus River System and the rest 80 per cent to Pakistan. (ANI)
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