Nadda: PM Modi Rectifies Historical Blunder in Indus Waters Treaty

BJP president J.P. Nadda on Monday labeled the 1960 Indus Water Treaty (IWT) as one of former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru’s gravest mistakes, accusing him of compromising India’s water security for personal ambition. In a post on X, Nadda praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for putting the treaty in abeyance, calling it a correction of a “historical wrong” that favored Pakistan at India’s expense.

Nadda described the IWT, signed in Karachi on September 19, 1960, by Nehru and Pakistan’s President Ayub Khan, as “Nehru’s Himalayan blunder.” He criticized Nehru for allocating 80% of the Indus basin waters to Pakistan, leaving India with just 20%, without parliamentary consultation. “The treaty was placed before Parliament two months later, in November, for a mere two-hour discussion,” Nadda stated, highlighting the lack of democratic oversight. He noted that even Congress MPs, like Asoka Mehta, who called it a “second partition,” opposed the treaty, reflecting widespread dismay.

Quoting a young Atal Bihari Vajpayee, then a Jan Sangh MP, Nadda emphasized Vajpayee’s warning that conceding to Pakistan’s demands would not foster goodwill but perpetuate injustice. “True friendship cannot be built on injustice,” Nadda cited, adding that Vajpayee prioritized national interest over appeasement. Nadda accused Nehru of dismissing parliamentary concerns as “narrow” and admitting to bypassing approval for treaties that ceded critical resources.

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The decision to place the IWT in abeyance, announced earlier in 2025, follows Modi’s stance that “blood and water cannot flow together,” a sentiment he first articulated after the 2016 Uri attack. The move, linked to Pakistan’s alleged support for terrorism, has been echoed by External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, who tied the suspension to Pakistan’s actions post the April 2025 Pahalgam attack. Posts on X reflect polarized sentiments, with some hailing Modi’s decision as reclaiming India’s rights, while others question the risks to regional stability.

The IWT’s suspension could impact projects like the Shahpur Kandi dam, which halted Ravi River water flows to Pakistan, and has sparked debates about India’s water security and diplomatic leverage. Nadda’s remarks reinforce the BJP’s narrative of correcting Congress-era policies, citing Modi’s “Nation First” approach.

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