New Delhi, February 21: Days after the Pulwama attack, India on Thursday decided to block water to Pakistan by from the three eastern rivers --the Beas, Ravi and Sutlej. Union Minister of Water Resources Nitin Gadkari said that water of three rivers flowing into Pakistan, over which India has full rights under the Indus Water Treaty, will be diverted to Yamuna river. Pakistani Journalist Launches #AntiHateChallenge Condemning Pulwama Attack.

The bilateral Treaty, signed in 1960, governs the rights of India and Pakistan on three of the six common rivers, respectively. As per the agreement, India has full rights over Ravi, Beas and Sutlej rivers while Pakistan has full rights over Jhelum, Chenab and Indus.

Speaking at an event in Bhagpat, Gadkari said, “After partition, three rivers each were divided between India and Pakistan. The water of the three rivers over which India has rights was going to Pakistan. We have constructed projects after which the water of these rivers will be diverted to Yamuna river. Once this happens, there will be more water in the Yamuna.” Pulwama Attack Aftermath: Omar Abdullah Hits Out at Narendra Modi Government Over Attacks on Kashmiri Students.

Nitin Gadkari on blocking share of India's water to Pakistan:

Later in the day, Gadkari tweeted, “Our Govt. has decided to stop our share of water which used to flow to Pakistan. We will divert water from Eastern rivers and supply it to our people in Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab.” In another tweet, he said that the construction of a dam has started at Shahpur- Kandi on Ravi river. The union minister tweeted, “The UJH project will store our share of water for use in J&K and the balance water will flow from 2nd Ravi-BEAS Link to provide water to other basin states.”

Nitin Gadkari's tweet:

Gadkari’s statement comes at a time when India is exploring options to “punish” Pakistan for the Pulwama terror attack of February 14 in which 40 CRPF personnel were martyred. The suicide bomb attack was claimed by the Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terror outfit, which is based in Pakistan and backed by the Pakistani establishment.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 21, 2019 07:25 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).