Samyuktha Kisan Morcha Slams Modi Govt for Handing Over Bhakra Dam Security to CISF

New Delhi: The Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) has strongly criticised the Union Government's decision to transfer the security responsibilities of the Bhakra Dam to the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), calling it an authoritarian step that undermines India’s constitutional federal framework.
In a press statement issued today, SKM expressed deep concern over what it described as the growing centralisation of power under the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)- led Union Government. The organisation urged the NDA regime to reverse this trend, which it claims aims to create an omnipotent Centre while reducing the states to powerless entities.
The farmers’ collective linked the decision to the controversial Dam Safety Act and demanded its immediate repeal. “This law goes against the spirit of federalism and encroaches upon the constitutional rights of states,” the statement read.
SKM also criticised recent unilateral decisions taken by the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB), alleging that the board has been functioning under the direct influence of the BJP government. It claimed that the BBMB has shown bias in its administrative actions over the past several days, particularly in relation to the ongoing water disputes between Punjab and Haryana.
“Water sharing issues in this region have historically been politicised rather than addressed with fairness and scientific rationale,” SKM noted, blaming the Union Government for exploiting these disputes for political gains.
The statement also highlighted the worsening water crisis in northwestern India, citing declining groundwater levels and increasing water pollution. According to SKM, addressing this crisis requires a comprehensive, multi-layered action plan involving both the Centre and state governments.
The organisation laid out a set of urgent demands, including rainwater conservation, scientific river and canal management, flood damage insurance, and equitable water distribution based on riparian and scientific principles. SKM emphasised the need for watershed development and water harvesting projects to help recharge depleting groundwater reserves.
On the agricultural front, SKM called for a policy push towards sustainable and diverse farming practices. It demanded the promotion of environmentally friendly cultivation methods with scientific use of water, fertilisers, and pesticides. The farmers’ body also reiterated its long-standing demand for a legal guarantee of Minimum Support Price (MSP) based on the Swaminathan Commission’s recommendations.
Warning against the political strategies of the ruling party, SKM appealed to the public to remain vigilant against any attempts to create divisions among people of different states, particularly among farmers. “The BJP’s efforts to pit farmers of Punjab and Haryana against each other must be resisted,” the statement said.
SKM concluded by reaffirming its commitment to hold both Union and State Governments accountable in resolving the water crisis fairly, and vowed to continue its pressure campaign for unbiased, sustainable, and people-friendly solutions.