Nehru’s Defense of the Indus Water Treaty Amidst Parliamentary Controversy

The signing of the Indus Water Treaty (IWT) in 1960 was met with considerable resistance within the Indian Parliament. Jawaharlal Nehru, then Prime Minister of India, faced strong opposition and accusations of a “sell-out” from figures including Atal Bihari Vajpayee and members of the Congress party.

Nehru’s Justification: Preventing Devastation in West Punjab

Nehru argued that rejecting the treaty would have had severe repercussions, primarily for the people of West Punjab (now part of Pakistan). He maintained that without the IWT, the region would have faced significant water scarcity, potentially transforming it into a barren wasteland.

The Stakes of the Treaty: A Balancing Act

The IWT, a complex agreement brokered by the World Bank, aimed to allocate the waters of the six rivers of the Indus basin between India and Pakistan. Nehru’s justification for the treaty highlighted the difficult balancing act between national interests and the potential human cost of rejecting the agreement.