Shivraj Singh Chouhan hails suspension of Indus Treaty, says ‘Nehru gave 80 per cent of water to Pakistan’-OxBig News Network

Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has strongly defended the government’s suspension of the Indus Water Treaty, calling it a long-overdue reversal of a “historic injustice” inflicted on Indian farmers and the nation. Speaking at a key meeting with farmers’ associations at Pusa Bhavan, Chouhan launched a fierce critique of Pakistan and former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, who signed the treaty in 1960.

“Water and blood cannot flow together”

Describing the decision to revoke the treaty as a “bold and necessary step”, Chouhan framed it in the context of recent cross-border violence and terror attacks. “This is not an ordinary move; it is a historic correction,” he said. “In 1960, Pandit Nehru handed over more than 80% of the Indus River’s water to Pakistan along with Rs 83 crore, which today amounts to Rs 5,500 crore. This was done despite opposition from India’s water experts.”

He described the treaty as an “injustice to Indian farmers”, accusing past leadership of “starving our farmers to feed a nation that shelters terrorists.”

Chouhan praises armed forces for Operation Sindoor

Chouhan also commended India’s armed forces for their swift response to recent provocations under Operation Sindoor, which he claimed neutralised terrorist camps and intercepted drones and missiles launched by Pakistan with support from Turkiye and China.

“They thought their weapons would frighten India. But our brave soldiers treated those missiles like toys. Today, their debris lies in our fields, and our children are playing with it,” Chouhan said. “In just three days, Pakistan was on its knees. That is the strength of our armed forces, and I bow before their valour.”

PM Modi corrected a historic blunder: Chouhan

Chouhan credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi for taking the bold decision to suspend the treaty, stating, “The injustice done in Nehru’s time has finally been undone. This water will now be used to irrigate Indian lands and benefit Indian farmers.”

Referring to the long-standing problems with dam maintenance and siltation, Chouhan added that India has now begun desilting the Salal and Baglihar Dams, previously restricted under the treaty. “Baglihar’s storage had dropped from 428 million cubic meters to 245 million. Salal had fallen from 285 to just 14 million. This situation was unacceptable.”

Chouhan targets the opposition

Aiming at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Chouhan criticised what he termed as irresponsible opposition behaviour. “At a time when the nation is standing united against terrorism, asking how many aircraft were lost is not patriotism. It’s petty politics. The country comes before the party,” he asserted.

Pakistan has only seen the trailer, says Chouhan

Quoting a Hindi proverb — “Lamhon ne khata ki, sadiyon ne sazaa paayi” — Chouhan underlined that India is no longer bound by past mistakes. “The rivers originate in India. And yet we gave away our own water. But today, under PM Modi, this will change.”

He concluded with a strong message: “Water and blood can’t flow together. Terrorism and cricket can’t go together. We will not rest until terrorism is uprooted from its source.”

The suspension of the Indus Water Treaty comes at a time of heightened diplomatic tensions between India and Pakistan and is expected to have far-reaching geopolitical, environmental, and agricultural implications.