JD(U) launches ‘Nitish Samvad’ on water treaty
JD-U outreach with ‘Nitish Samvad’ on Farakka issue, as Centre assures to address Bihar concerns
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Patna — With the Farakka Water Treaty, signed between India and Bangladesh in December 1996 and set to expire in December 2026, the Janata Dal (United), which is aggressively campaigning for the treaty's revamp (if renewed) to include Bihar's increased concerns in its ambit, has decided to launch a Nitish Samvad (Nitish Discourse), a drive to highlight the state's water concerns,
Party's working president Sanjay Jha, a Rajya Sabha MP, raised the issue in Parliament during the Monsoon Session and External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar wrote to him that New Delhi would keep Bihar's interests in mind during negotiations over the treaty.
The JD(U) has already started using clips of former Bihar CM and Rajya Sabha member Nitish Kumar's concems about the Farakka ordeal for Bihar.
"Any new treaty must keep Bihar's water needs up to 2050 in mind," said Jha.
Neeraj Kumar, JD(U)'s official spokesperson, said that Jha would travel to 12 districts along the Ganga with state party president Umesh Singh Kushwaha to interact with locals and public representative< ta raice their vanice far
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74 Sa tg JDU national president Nitish Kumar during Shri Krishnotsav Samaroh at Millar School ground in Patna. HTPHOTO protecting Bihar's rights. external affairs minister Dr $
Jha and Kushwaha would Jaishankar gave a positive travel to Buxar, Bhojpur, Saran, —_ response to my special mention Patna, Vaishali, Samastipur, — in the Rajya Sabha regarding Begusarai, Lakhisarai, Munger, the non-renewal of the Farakka Khagaria, Bhagalpur and Kati: (Ganga) Water Treaty and the har for a comprehensive interprotection of Bihar's water action on Bihar's rights tocre_ interests, there is great hope ate awareness and mobilise that the ordeal for the state public opinion about the treaty — may lessen," said Jha. that is detrimental to several of Jha said that the party has all key concerns of the Bihar state. along maintained that the "FarJha
said that right from the — akka Water Treaty must not be very beginning, Nitish Kumar renewed in its present form, has been vocal about the injuskeeping India's and Bihar's tice done to Bihar through the __ interests at the forefront." Farakka treaty and raised its Chief minister Nitish Kumar adverse impact in the form of raised the issue of Farakka disheavy siltation on various plat- — mantling with Prime Minister forms. Narendra Modi back in 2016
"Now that the treaty is set to following unprecedented floodevnire ina few moanthe andthe = ingin Rihar
The JD(U) has all along maintained Farakka Water Treaty must not be renewed in its present form, keeping India's and Bihar's interests at the forefront. SANJAY JHA, 10(U) working president and Rahya Sabha MP
He cited studies to underline that the treaty was never in the interest of the Ganga and experts had even warned over five decades ago about its disastrous consequences,
Party leaders feel that the "Farakka Discourse" could also be a new way of connecting with the people to address the important issue of flooding in Bihar, which mostly has its genesis in water bodies outside Bihar.
"Thirty years of data shows the serious ecological and economic costs of the 1996 IndoBangladesh Ganga Water Treaty, particularly for Bihar. Now is the time to reverse the trend by allowing the treaty to lance *
About the Author
Arun Kumar is a veteran journalist and Associate Editor with Hindustan Times, based in Patna. For more than three and a half decades, his reporting has chronicled Bihar's complex political landscape, university and educational reforms, landmark judicial rulings of the Patna High Court, administrative governance, and social shifts across the state. Known for deep investigative reporting and source-grounded accountability journalism, he is a recipient of the prestigious K.C. Kulish Journalism Award and the Keshav Bhatt Journalism Award, and is an LDM Fellow.