With rising tensions among India and Pakistan over the recent attack in Uri, the Indus Water Treaty has come under strain. The centre had hinted towards revisiting the treaty and now J&K’s deputy chief minister Nirmal Singh on Saturday said the state will fully support whatever decision is taken by the Union government on the 1960 agreement.
“The treaty has caused huge loss to Jammu and Kashmir as the people of the state cannot fully utilise the waters of various rivers, particularly Chenab in Jammu, for agricultural and other activities,” said Singh, while talking to PTI.
“The state government will support whatever decision is taken by the central government,” he added.
The minister further said, “The people of Jammu and Kashmir were already raising the issue of loss to the state on account of Indus Waters Treaty. If the central government takes any decision in this regard, the state government will definitely support it.”
“We will support any move which will benefit the people of the state and any step that puts Pakistan under pressure.”
Various quarters within India had called for scrapping the treaty to mount pressure on Pakistan in the aftermath of the Uri attack. The Indian government responded by sending veiled threats by saying ‘mutual trust and cooperation’ was required to make such an important treaty work.
“It cannot be a one-sided affair,” Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Vikas Swarup had said when asked if the government will rethink on the Indus Waters Treaty.
