A new political storm has erupted in Punjab. The Centre has forcibly taken over the security of the Bhakra Dam, pushing aside the Punjab Police and handing control to the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF).
Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has lashed out furiously, calling the move “a direct assault on Punjab’s authority and an insult to its police force.”
Until now, Punjab Police officers guarded the Bhakra Dam — one of India’s most crucial lifelines, supplying power and irrigation water to multiple states. But in a sudden and controversial move, the Union Home Ministry ordered the CISF to take charge, ignoring Punjab’s objections.
CM Mann thundered: “Punjab’s police have guarded the Bhakra Dam for decades. We don’t need Delhi’s interference. The state police are more than capable — this decision is a political stunt meant to humiliate Punjab!”
Centre’s Justification: Terror Threat or Political Drama?
The CISF has claimed that the takeover was necessary due to “increasing threats of sabotage and terrorism.”
A CISF spokesperson confirmed that 296 armed commandos have now been deployed to guard the project, after the Home Ministry’s approval in May.
But the Punjab government isn’t buying it. Senior AAP leaders say the “terror threat” narrative is just a cover-up — the real motive, they allege, is to strip Punjab of control over its most strategic resource and tighten the Centre’s grip on the state’s assets.
Water War Boils Over
This takeover comes amid an explosive water dispute between Punjab and Haryana.
Earlier this year, a petition in the Punjab and Haryana High Court accused Punjab Police of blocking water release to BJP-ruled Haryana.
The Mann government hit back, claiming Haryana had already used 103% of its quota and accused the Centre of siding with Haryana to corner Punjab politically.
Following the controversy, Punjab had increased security at the Nangal Dam, even locking the control room and handing the keys to the Punjab Police. Now, with the CISF in charge, the Centre has snatched away Punjab’s command over its own dam.
Punjab Fights Back
The official handover ceremony in Nangal saw top CISF and BBMB officers in attendance — but not a single Punjab Police officer turned up.
Sources say the absence was a silent act of defiance.
The Mann government has warned that it will challenge the Centre’s move through legal and political means, accusing the BJP government of turning security into a weapon of control.
“They’re trying to show that Punjab can’t handle its own security. This is not about safety — it’s about power and politics,” said a senior Punjab minister.
A Federal Flashpoint Ignites
What began as a security reshuffle has now exploded into a full-blown Centre–State confrontation.
The Bhakra Dam — once a symbol of cooperation — has now become a battleground for political supremacy.
With CISF boots now guarding the gates and Punjab Police pushed aside, the message from Delhi is clear: “We call the shots.”
But Punjab isn’t backing down — Bhagwant Mann has made it clear that this fight has just begun.
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