BHATINDA: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in an outrageous statement Friday said that water which belongs to India cannot be allowed into Pakistan.
He was addressing farmers in Indian Punjab on Friday. “The fields of our farmers must have adequate water. Water that belongs to India cannot be allowed to go to Pakistan. Government will do everything to give enough water to our farmers,” he said, the Indian Express reported.
“The water on which India has its right is flowing into Pakistan. I am committed to stop that water and bring it to our farmers in Punjab, Jammu and Kashmir and the rest of India,” Modi told a public rally.
Modi also asked farmers to stop burning crops which are thought to be responsible for smog in Indian and Pakistan.
Expressing his surprise that the water sharing issue had not been taken up by previous Indian governments, Modi said: “The governments slept in Delhi in the past. Our farmers kept crying and the water kept going to Pakistan. We will fight for the rights of our farmers.”
“The Indus water treaty, Sutlej, Beas, Ravi – the water of all three rivers, over which our farmers have their right, is not available to them. The water of these rivers is the right of India and our farmers. This water is passing through Pakistan into the sea. Neither Pakistan uses it nor our farmers are able to use.”
“I am moving ahead with conviction and have set up a task force on Indus Water Treaty,” Modi said.
The two countries signed the Indus Water Treaty in 1960 which govern how water will be distributed between the two countries. According to the treaty India controls the Baes, Ravi and Sutlej rivers, while Indus, Chenab and Jhelum rivers are controlled by Pakistan.
Modi also once again reached out to the people of Pakistan and asked them to wage war against poverty, corruption, and black money.
