Amid growing legal and political tensions, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Sunday issued a stern warning to the BJP-led Central government and the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB), asserting that Punjab will not allow even “a single drop” of its water to be diverted to Haryana without the state’s explicit consent.

Addressing a charged gathering at the Nangal Dam, CM Mann declared, “If Punjabis can guard the nation’s borders, they can guard their rivers too. Any BBMB officer who tries to release water to Haryana should be prepared to take full responsibility for their safety.” He accused Union Minister and former Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar of being the “mastermind” behind the attempt to reroute Punjab’s waters.

The statement comes just two days after the Punjab and Haryana High Court expressed concern that Punjab had potentially committed contempt by preventing BBMB officials from carrying out their duties. On Friday, a Division Bench led by Chief Justice Sheel Nagu observed that there appeared to be “some element of contempt” in Punjab’s actions, referring to a May 6 court order that barred the state from interfering with BBMB’s functioning.

Rejecting the notion that the state was under any legal compulsion to release water, Mann said, “There is no High Court order directing Punjab to send water to Haryana. This is a political move disguised as a legal one.” He further alleged that the BJP was exploiting judicial mechanisms to “snatch Punjab’s water rights.”

Defending the state’s decision to supply water to Rajasthan last week, the CM explained that it was done “in the national interest, to support army deployments along the border,” and warned against misinterpreting that move as a precedent. “National duty does not mean turning Punjab’s resources into charity.”

Mann also took aim at the BBMB, accusing the Board of financial mismanagement and bias. “They’ve used Punjab’s taxpayers’ money to wage legal battles against Punjab itself. This is unacceptable. We demand a thorough audit of BBMB’s accounts and a complete reconstitution of the board.”

In a sharp rebuke to certain farmers’ organizations, the CM questioned their absence from the water-sharing agitation. “Where are the farmers' unions now? Is their silence because there are no AC trollies or TV cameras here?” he asked, vowing that his government would not back down from defending the state's interests.

The controversy escalated after BBMB Chairman Manoj Tripathi told the High Court that his team was “physically obstructed” by Punjab Police and villagers when they attempted to release additional water to Haryana earlier in the week. The court is expected to hear the contempt case in greater detail in the coming days.