Saturday, March 29, 2025
New Delhi, August 20, 2025:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday launched a sharp attack on India’s first Prime Minister, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, during a meeting of the NDA Parliamentary Party. Modi urged MPs to take the message to the people that Nehru “betrayed the nation” by signing the Indus Waters Treaty of 1960 and compromising India’s interests to boost his own international image.
The meeting was organized in honor of NDA’s Vice-Presidential candidate, C.P. Radhakrishnan.
Modi said Nehru signed the treaty with Pakistan without taking his Cabinet or Parliament into confidence.
He alleged that Nehru gave away over 80% of the Indus river waters to Pakistan, later admitting through his secretary that the agreement had not benefitted India.
“Through the Indus Waters Treaty, Nehru divided the country once again — first during Partition, and then by handing over 80% of river water to Pakistan,” Modi said.
The Prime Minister also reminded MPs that when leaders like Atal Bihari Vajpayee opposed the treaty in Parliament, Nehru dismissed their concerns, reportedly saying: “Why make so much noise over a few buckets of water?”
He further criticized Nehru for dismissing the loss of Aksai Chin to China, saying at the time: “Not a blade of grass grows there.”
The Indus Waters Treaty was signed in 1960 after nine years of negotiations, with the World Bank mediating. Under the treaty:
Western Rivers (Indus, Jhelum, Chenab) were allocated to Pakistan.
Eastern Rivers (Ravi, Beas, Sutlej) were allocated to India.
Nehru had hoped the treaty would reduce future conflicts with Pakistan, but Modi said history had proven otherwise.
Following the April 22, 2025 Pahalgam terror attack, India temporarily suspended the Indus Waters Treaty, declaring it would only be restored if Pakistan permanently ceased support for terrorism.
