JP Nadda (File photo)
NEW DELHI: Highlighting that Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) was signed by then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru despite vehement opposition in Parliament, including by Congress MPs, BJP president JP Nadda on Monday dubbed the 1960 treaty as one of the “biggest blunders” of India’s first prime minister.”Indus Waters Treaty, 1960 was one of the biggest blunders of former prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru that kept national interest at the altar of personal ambitions… he unilaterally handed over 80% of the Indus basin waters to Pakistan, leaving India with just 20% of the share,” Nadda said in a series of posts on X.It was a decision that “permanently compromised” India’s water security and national interest and its “most appalling” aspect was that “Nehru made it without consulting the Indian Parliament”. “The treaty was signed in Sept 1960. However, it was placed before Parliament only two months later, in Nov, and that too, for a token discussion of mere two hours!” the BJP chief said.”Nehru yielded far too much, receiving nothing in return. Congress’ Asoka Mehta slammed the treaty and called it akin to a ‘second partition’ for country. His words expressed grief and shock felt not only within his own party but also across opposition and the nation at Nehru’s complete surrender,” Nadda said, sharing documents to support his claim. The BJP president further said, “Even today, India would have continued to pay the price for one man’s misplaced idealism, if not for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s bold leadership and his commitment to ‘nation first’. By putting Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance, PM Modi has corrected yet another grave historical wrong committed by Congress!”Nadda further said that former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee, then a young MP, had torn into Nehru’s decision. “Vajpayee had warned that Nehru’s argument, that succumbing to Pakistan’s unreasonable demands would establish friendship and goodwill, was flawed,” the BJP chief added.
