Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while chairing the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) Parliamentary meeting on Tuesday, criticised former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru regarding the Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan, claiming it provided no advantage to India. Sources said PM Modi stated that Nehru had “partitioned the country once, and then again,” referring to both the Radcliffe Line and the treaty, which allocated 80% of river waters to Pakistan.

“Nehru partitioned the country once, and then again. Under the Indus Waters Treaty, 80% of the water was allocated to Pakistan. Later, through his secretary, Nehru admitted this was a mistake, saying it brought no benefit,” PM Modi reportedly said.

BJP leaders present at the meeting supported the Prime Minister’s remarks. Jagdambika Pal described the treaty as a “betrayal of farmers,” emphasising that Nehru had signed it without parliamentary approval. Ravi Shankar Prasad also criticised the Nehru administration for providing Rs 80 crore to Pakistan, adding that such agreements should be debated in Parliament.

These statements follow India’s recent rejection of a ruling from the Hague-based Court of Arbitration under the treaty, with the government stating that it never recognised the court’s authority or legitimacy, and its decisions have no impact on India’s rights over the rivers.

After the Pahalgam terrorist attackin April, which killed 26 civilians, India has temporarily suspended the treaty, demanding that Pakistan permanently cease support for cross-border terrorism. Signed in 1960 after nine years of negotiations with the World Bank, the treaty assigns the Western rivers (Indus, Jhelum, Chenab) to Pakistan and the Eastern rivers (Ravi, Beas, Sutlej) to India.

At the same meeting, PM Modi also announced the NDA’s Vice-Presidential candidate, CP Radhakrishnan, praising him as a grassroots leader from the OBC community, straightforward in nature, and a politician who “does not indulge in political games.”