In a dramatic turn of events highlighting the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) precarious position in Punjab, Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal was forced into a last-minute retreat from the state, cancelling his participation in the centenary celebrations of the historic Gang Canal. This incident on Thursday, December 4, 2025, marks the fourth significant political reversal by the BJP in Punjab within a span of just over a month, underscoring the party's struggle to navigate the state's sensitive political landscape.
The Swift Airport U-Turn
Arjun Ram Meghwal, who is also the Member of Parliament from Bikaner, landed at Amritsar airport on Thursday evening. He was scheduled to attend a function at Hussainiwala in Ferozepur district, the point of origin of the Gang Canal, to mark its 100th year. However, in a move that took many by surprise, the minister did not even step out of the terminal building. According to sources, within two hours of his arrival, he boarded a return flight and left Punjab.
While the Punjab event was scrapped, Meghwal did attend the canal's centenary celebrations a day later on Friday, December 5, in Rajasthan's Sri Ganganagar district alongside Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma. The contrasting attendance has thrown a spotlight on the deep-seated political and emotional tensions surrounding the century-old water project.
Why the Gang Canal is a Political Flashpoint
The 157km-long Gang Canal is an irrigation channel built by Maharaja Ganga Singh of the former Bikaner princely state. Its foundation stone was laid on December 5, 1925, and it became operational on October 26, 1927. The canal draws water from the Sutlej river in Punjab and irrigates over 3 lakh hectares of land in Rajasthan's Sri Ganganagar, Hanumangarh, and Karanpur districts, transforming the region's agrarian economy.
However, in Punjab, the canal is viewed through a different lens. Farmers, particularly in the Malwa region, have long complained of water shortages at the tail-end of the canal network. They allege that while the Gang Canal and the Indira Gandhi Canal receive their full share of water from the Harike Barrage as per interstate agreements, several Punjabi villages face acute scarcity. The announcement of centenary celebrations on Punjabi soil was seen as an affront by many.
Political Backlash and Internal Discord
The proposed event triggered immediate backlash. Sources indicate that soon after Meghwal landed in Amritsar, the Centre advised him to turn back due to the rapidly building political storm. BJP state president Sunil Jakhar clarified the party's stance, stating, "The party had nothing to do with this programme." He expressed gratitude that the Centre understood Punjab's sensitivity in time.
Jakhar emphasized that the party's state working president, Ashwani Sharma, had instructed local leaders not to associate with the Hussainiwala event. "The interests of Punjab are paramount. Punjab's strength is the BJP's strength. We will not allow anyone to use their personal platform in the name of the party," Jakhar asserted.
Opposition parties were quick to criticize. Congress's Leader of Opposition, Partap Singh Bajwa, termed the planned celebration "insensitive and politically provocative," calling the canal a symbol of historic injustice. AAP spokesperson Neel Garg accused the BJP of trying to "paste flowers of 'celebration'" over a historical wound.
A Pattern of Reversals
The Meghwal episode is the latest in a series of retreats by the BJP-led Centre concerning Punjab:
- On October 28, a notification to restructure Panjab University's Senate and Syndicate was issued, only to be withdrawn on November 7 after sharp reactions.
- A proposed Constitutional amendment Bill to bring Chandigarh under Central control by including it in Article 240 was scrapped following a political storm.
- On December 1, the Centre denied Haryana government's request for land in Chandigarh for a separate Assembly complex, a demand opposed by Punjab parties, including the state BJP.
Each of these decisions was rolled back in the face of intense political pressure and backlash from within Punjab, painting a picture of a central government repeatedly misjudging the state's political pulse. The Gang Canal controversy, rooted in the emotive issue of water sharing, has proven to be the most recent and vivid example of this trend, forcing a Union Minister into an abrupt and very public U-turn.
