End terrorism or we will stop our share of water: Gadkari warns Pakistan
| Date :14-May-2019 |
NEW DELHI:
IF Pakistan continues to support cross-border terrorism, India will have no option but to take the “hard” decision of stopping its share of water of three common rivers, Water Resources Minister Nitin Gadkari has said, in a warning to the neighbouring country. He told IANS in an interview that India is starting a study and a Detailed Project Report (DPR) of all the three rivers over which it has complete right under the Indus Water Treaty and has taken up two projects on these. Under the 1960 Indus Water Treaty governing six common rivers, India has the complete right over the waters of three rivers - Ravi, Beas and Sutlej, while Pakistan has the right over water of Indus, Jhelum and Chenab.
The Treaty was intended to “increase brotherhood, love and affection” between the two countries and India, “as a big brother, is giving water” to Pakistan, Gadkari said. “Now nothing is there. In place of love and affection, we are getting bombs and they are attacking innocent people of India. So this is the time, if they don’t want to stop terrorism and supporting terrorist organisations, then we don’t have any option but to stop water which is going to Pakistan,” the senior Minister said.
“We are going to stop our share of water to Pakistan... This is the appropriate time (for ending support to terror), otherwise they will have to face the music,” he asserted. Asked if it was just an empty threat or India was really going to do so, he replied: “Of the six (common) rivers, our right is on three rivers... Our water is going to Pakistan. First, we have taken up two projects. We are going to stop our share water to Pakistan. We are (also) starting making study, research, DPR of all the three rivers going to Pakistan.”