Punjab Cabinet Minister Barinder Goyal on Saturday, 16 May placed the state's concerns squarely before the Central government at a meeting marking the completion of 50 years of the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB), asserting that Punjab will not tolerate any encroachment on its rights over water, power, or security arrangements.

The Membership Rule Change

Goyal's sharpest objection centred on a rule amendment introduced by the Centre on 13 April, which altered the decades-old convention governing BBMB appointments. Under the original arrangement, the Power (Electricity) Member was always drawn from Punjab and the Irrigation Member from Haryana — a structure that had held without dispute for 50 years.

The amended rules now permit either member to be appointed from anywhere in the country, with Punjab and Haryana given only a 'preference.' 'The word preference creates serious concern in the minds of Punjabis; the decades-old traditional structure should be continued as it is,' Goyal said. He questioned why a functioning arrangement was disturbed when no partner state had raised any complaint.

CISF Deployment Opposed

The minister also pushed back against the Centre's move to deploy the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) at BBMB complexes, calling it an affront to the Punjab Police and contrary to the spirit of federalism. He pointed out that the Punjab Police has managed security at major dams — including Ranjit Sagar Dam and Shahpur Kandi Dam, both located near the border — without objection from any partner state.

Goyal expressed surprise at Union Minister Manohar Lal Khattar's claim of a 'lapse' on Punjab's part as justification for the CISF deployment. 'Punjab has committed no lapse; rather, Punjab has only guarded its rights,' he said, adding that the Punjab Police had made immense sacrifices during the period of terrorism to protect the nation's integrity.

The Water Dispute Backdrop

Goyal also addressed the broader water-sharing tensions underlying the BBMB standoff. He said Haryana had exhausted its entire allocated share of water by March last year and subsequently sought access to Punjab's share — a demand Punjab refused. He alleged that Haryana had been repeatedly advised to use water judiciously but did not heed those warnings.

The minister argued that since the rivers flow through Punjab, the state alone bears the burden of maintenance and flood losses, and therefore must be given priority in decisions relating to water storage and management. 'Even at the cost of losing its precious groundwater, the state has been happily providing every partner state with its rightful share of water,' he said.

What Happens Next

Punjab's formal objections are now on record with the Centre following the BBMB anniversary meeting. The state's twin demands — reverting the membership appointment rules and withdrawing the CISF deployment — are likely to sharpen the ongoing federal friction between Chandigarh and New Delhi over river-water governance. How the Centre responds will set the tone for BBMB's functioning in its next half-century.