Union Minister Shivraj Chouhan accuses Nehru of giving Pakistan both water and money under the Indus Waters Treaty

Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan criticised Nehru for signing the Indus Waters Treaty, alleging he gave both water and Rs 83 crore to Pakistan, claiming it hurt Indian farmers and failed to bring peace as intended.

NEW DELHI: Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has intensified his criticism of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), calling it a ‘historic mistake’ and accusing former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru of compromising India’s interests by signing the agreement in 1960. 

Addressing representatives of farmers’ organisations on Monday, Chouhan alleged that Nehru not only agreed to give a substantial share of river water to Pakistan but also provided the neighbouring country with Rs 83 crore, which he claimed now amounts to around Rs 5,500 crore.

The minister explained that despite opposition from several experts at the time, Nehru proceeded to sign the treaty, which allocated the eastern rivers of the Indus system to India and the western rivers to Pakistan. The financial assistance, Chouhan said, was intended to help Pakistan build replacement canals from the western rivers. He questioned the justification behind Nehru’s remarks that the payment was meant to "buy peace" with Pakistan, stating, “What kind of peace was that? We lost water as well as money.”

Chouhan further stated, “We had been giving waters to Pakistan at the cost of our farmers' interest, but the neighbouring country has been responsible for producing terrorists.” He also recalled that former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had opposed the Indus Waters Treaty in Parliament, reinforcing the long-standing concerns over the agreement.

The Indian government recently suspended the implementation of the Indus Waters Treaty following the Pahalgam terror attack. Pakistan has termed this move “an act of war”. However, the Indian government appears to be rallying public and farmer support against the treaty.

Chouhan clarified the government's current stance, stating that the waters of the Indus River system will now be used primarily for India and its farmers. The meeting with farmers' organisations saw participation from various groups, including the Samyukta Kisan Morcha and the Bharatiya Kisan Union (non-political), who expressed support for the government's position. Several participants even demanded the complete abrogation of the treaty.