Union Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal recalled from Amritsar as Punjab BJP distances itself from 100-year celebration amid fears of protests over river water diversion
PUNJAB TODAY‘s exclusive report on BJP’s plans to glorify the Gang Canal, a thorn in Punjab’s political and social memory, for a hundred years, triggered a series of steps within the central government as well as Punjab’s political parties, eventually leading to cancellation of the 100-year celebrations of the canal and leaving much egg on the regime’s face.
Screenshot from Punjab Today’s initial report that triggered the political pushback over the Gang Canal centenary event.
Punjab Today had warned in its report that BJP’s Gang Canal outreach would be a huge political misstep, and that such celebrations of a canal taking Punjab’s water to Rajasthan would reopen deep historical wounds and provoke unnecessary backlash, particularly when the BJP is already at the receiving end on key legacy issues in Punjab.
Also Read: Punjab Gang Canal Event: BJP’s Symbolic Misstep Sparks Outrage in Punjab
Punjab’s Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa was quick off the mark and publicly termed the move a shocking insult to Punjab’s history.
The BJP’s decision to celebrate the Gang Canal centenary from Punjab is a shocking insult to our history.
A canal built by the British to appease the Bikaner king by diverting Punjab’s waters is now being glorified by those who don’t understand Punjab’s pain.#Punjab #GangCanal…— Partap Singh Bajwa (@Partap_Sbajwa) December 4, 2025
He reminded that the Gang Canal was originally built by the British to appease the Bikaner Maharaja by diverting Punjab’s waters, and said glorifying such a canal showed complete disregard for Punjab’s long-standing pain over river-water injustice.
He also questioned the silence of the Aam Aadmi Party and CM Bhagwant Singh Mann.
Surprisingly, most of Punjab’s media had kept mum on the issue, and BJP’s local leaders like Rana Gurmit Sodhi even leading the celebrations from the front in a crude display of political tone deafness.
Centre Panics, Cancels Event as BJP Scrambles for Damage Control
The Centre reacted swiftly. The Ferozepur ceremony was abruptly cancelled and Union Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal was instructed to return from Amritsar airport without attending a single event.
It was a clear embarrassment for the Modi government and state BJP leaders, but Delhi thought it wiser to cut losses than suffer deeper damage.
Wiser after the exposé, the Punjab BJP scrambled to dissociate itself from the programme, calling it a “personal event.”
Political pundits Punjab Today spoke to said the BJP realised that suffering limited reputational loss was better than landing into a Panjab University–style confrontation.
Gang Canal in Sriganganagar, which receives water from the Harike headworks in Punjab. (Express photo)
The diversion of river waters remains one of the state’s most emotive issues, making it puzzling that local BJP leaders were ready to pose for photo-ops celebrating the Gang Canal.
“There are better ways of committing political suicide, but BJP seems to have a talent for it,” remarked a senior journalist whose own newspaper had ignored the story.
Sources now reveal that following the Punjab Today exposé, BJP’s backroom machinery conducted rapid internal assessments and concluded that the celebration could trigger protests and road blockades.
Farmer groups would have mobilised quickly. The message conveyed to Delhi was stark: the visit could escalate into a law-and-order crisis.
As alarm bells rang in the corridors of power and the gravity of the situation dawned, Meghwal — who had just landed in Amritsar — was instructed to turn back and return to Delhi the same evening.
Jakhar Cleans Up the Fallout; Event Ends in a Whimper
It fell to Punjab BJP president Sunil Jakhar to clean up the political mess — a role he has repeatedly played for the party, from the Panjab University controversy to now the Gang Canal celebration.
Sunil Jakhar
Jakhar issued a sharp clarification, insisting the event was not organised by the party and was solely the minister’s personal programme.
He reminded that river waters have always been an emotional and historically sensitive issue for Punjabis. Consequently, what was expected to be a grand celebration ended in a subdued ritual at the canal headworks, attended only by a small group from the minister’s constituency.
No crowds, no speeches, no celebration — and humiliation at a discount.
Editor’s Note: Why This Matters
The Gang Canal controversy is a reminder that effective governance in Punjab requires an informed understanding of the state’s history and emotional landscape. Punjab’s unresolved water disputes remain among the most sensitive political issues in North India.
At Punjab Today, our mission goes beyond reporting events. We aim to help prevent avoidable political mistakes by ensuring the public’s voice — and history — are heard, respected, and understood.
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Team PT
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