Indus Water Treaty: Water that belongs to India can't be allowed to flow into Pakistan, says PM Narendra Modi in Punjab

Bhatinda: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday declared that India has the right to use the water flowing into Pakistan under the Indus Water Treaty.

Speaking at the foundation stone laying ceremony of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Bhatinda, Modi also reached out to the people of Pakistan and asked them to wage war against poverty, corruption, and black money.

"The water on which India has its right is flowing into Pakistan. I am committed to stop that water and bring it to our farmers in Punjab, Jammu and Kashmir and the rest of India," Modi told a public rally.

Expressing his surprise that the water sharing issue had not been taken up by previous Indian governments, Modi said: "The governments slept in Delhi in the past. Our farmers kept crying and the water kept going to Pakistan. We will fight for the rights of our farmers.”

"The Indus water treaty, Sutlej, Beas, Ravi - the water of all three rivers, over which our farmers have their right, is not available to them. The water of these rivers is the right of India and our farmers. This water is passing through Pakistan into the sea. Neither Pakistan uses it nor our farmers are able to use.”

"I am moving ahead with conviction and have set up a task force on Indus Water Treaty," Modi said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also said that the surgical strikes conducted in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in September wreaked havoc on Pakistan.

"Pakistan is not far from here, look at the valour of our Army jawans when they conducted a surgical strike, it created havoc across the border. Pakistan now knows fully well what the Indian Army is capable of.”