New Delhi [India], July 30 : Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh on Wednesday hit out at External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar over the latter's remarks on the Indus Waters Treaty and said that it was "atrocious" to call the Indus Waters Treaty "communal appeasement" by India's first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru.
In a post on X Ramesh said, "Once upon a time the External Affairs Minister was known as a professional. Today he showed that he has long given up the slightest pretence of being one. His remarks on Nehru and the Indus Waters Treaty in the Rajya Sabha today were, to put it mildly, absolutely shocking. He deliberately did NOT mention that without the three Eastern Rivers (Sutlej, Beas, and Ravi) being exclusively with India - 1. The Bhakra Nangal dam complex, key to the Green Revolution, would not have become a reality. 2. The transformative and long Rajasthan Canal would not have been possible. 3. The Ravi-Beas link would not have been possible."
He further said that even on the Chenab and Jhelum, India has already implemented a number of hydel projects like Baglihar, Salal, Dul Hasti, Uri, and Kishenganga.
"A number of other projects are under execution. In June 2011, at the initiative of Dr Manmohan Singh, Chenab Valley Power Projects Private Ltd was incorporated. It is true that Pakistan has obstructed the utilisation of what India is legally entitled to on the Chenab and Jhelum. But to call the Indus Waters Treaty communal appeasement by India's first Prime Minister - as the EAM did today - was simply atrocious," he added.
Earlier, EAM S Jaishankar on Wednesday criticised Congress, saying they are "uncomfortable with history," while speaking about India's decision to put the Indus Water Treaty in abeyance following the Pahalgam terror attack.
Jaishankar highlighted Congress's "mistakes" in the Rajya Sabha over the handling of the treaty while emphasising how essential this agreement was.
"The Indus Water Treaty in many ways is a very unique agreement. I cannot think of any agreement in the world where a country has allowed its major rivers to flow to the next country without having rights on that river. To recall the history of this event. Yesterday, I heard people, some people, are uncomfortable with history. They prefer that historical things be forgotten. Maybe it does not suit them, they only like to recall some things," Jaishankar said.
EAM targeted Jawaharlal Nehru over his statement in Parliament back in 1960 regarding the treaty.
"On November 30th 1960. He (Jawaharlal Nehru) says I would like to know if this house is to judge the quantum of supply of water or money to be given. People objected to that. PM also said, 'Let me do this treaty for the interest of Pakistani Punjab, not a word about farmers of Kashmir or Punjab. Not a word about Rajasthan or Gujarat,'" Jaishankar said.
He also added that PM Modi has "corrected" Jawaharlal Nehru's "mistakes" when it comes to handling the Indus Water Treaty and Article 370.
"We were told for 60 years that nothing could be done. Pandit Nehru's mistake can't be corrected. The Narendra Modi government showed it can be corrected. Article 370 was corrected, and IWT is being corrected. The Indus Water Treaty will be held in abeyance until Pakistan irrevocably gives up its support of terrorism. We have warned that Blood and water will not flow together," he said.
Indus Water Treaty was put in abeyance after the Pahalgam terror attack in April, in which 26 people were killed.