Bengaluru: BJP National General Secretary and Rajya Sabha Member Radha Mohan Das Agarwal on Thursday said the Indus Waters Treaty has been suspended, keeping in mind the country’s long-term interests.
Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru, Agarwal, who is also Karnataka BJP’s in-charge, said, “The Sindhu Water Treaty was anti-India. You will be surprised to know that the 1960 treaty gave Pakistan the right to utilise 90 per cent of the water.”
“No one can comprehend the logic behind an international treaty under which India gave away its waters to Pakistan. That country didn’t even have the funds to utilise the water. In 1960, then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru gifted Rs 83 crore of hard-earned revenue to Pakistan to build canals. It happened when India was facing a grave economic crisis,” he pointed out.
“Prime Minister Narendra Modi has clearly said blood and water cannot flow together. When Pakistan proves its sincerity against terrorism, we will reconsider our position,” the BJP MP said.
Speaking about Operation Sindoor, he said, “After the April 22 massacre in which 26 people were killed, including two from Karnataka, Manjunath Rao and Bharat Bhushan, I convey my deepest condolences to their families.”
“We are proud that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Indian armed forces, while exhibiting maximum restraint and following the rules of war, targeted the operational centres of the terrorist organisations responsible. These terrorists were dealt with effectively. The army dismantled airbases which used to provide cover to the terrorists,” he said.
He added, “In the entire operation, not a single Indian soldier was killed, and no Indian Army equipment was damaged. The Indian Army did not violate the Line of Control (LoC). While staying within our borders, we destroyed terrorist camps located in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and Pakistan. We also dismantled the airbases used to launch drones and flights aimed at causing casualties on the Indian side.”
He said that the BJP workers, along with spirited citizens, have launched the Tiranga Yatra to express gratitude to the Indian Army.
When asked about US President Donald Trump’s claim of helping de-escalate tensions between India and Pakistan, Agarwal remarked, “Only Trump knows what he has done. I’ll give you an example – a few children get down from a train and push it; when the train starts moving on its own, they claim they moved it. Trump’s efforts are similar. The BJP does not allow third-party mediation in matters between India and Pakistan.”
“The Prime Minister, after the ceasefire, mentioned that Pakistan’s Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) had called his Indian counterpart. When the call wasn’t answered the first time, he called again, pleading with fear to stop the attacks,” Agarwal stressed.
“Operation Sindoor was just one phase; the battle against terrorism will continue,” he concluded.
(IANS)
