Chandigarh, May 2 -- Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Thursday launched a scathing attack on chief minister Bhagwant Mann and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), accusing them of compromising Punjab's water interests by allowing the release of thousands of cusecs of river water to Haryana. Sukhbir asked the CM and the AAP to stop engaging in "political theatrics" over the sensitive river water issue and instead come clean to Punjabis about the recent release of 4,000 cusecs of water to Haryana and the subsequent agreement to release an additional 8,500 cusecs. "It is shameful that instead of addressing the grave issue of Punjab's desertification and the blow to its farm economy, the AAP is resorting to diversionary 'dharnas'. The CM must explain under whose authority he agreed to sell off Punjab's river waters," said Sukhbir. He cited a written admission by Bhagwant Mann that the Punjab had been releasing 4,000 cusecs of water for the past month, and had agreed to Haryana CM Nayab Singh Saini's April 23 request for another 8,000 cusecs. Calling the move a "betrayal of Punjab," Sukhbir demanded that the BBMB immediately revoke its directive to release more water, asserting that the order was issued without proper consultation with the Punjab government as required by the BBMB manual. Sukhbir demanded reinstatement of Punjab's representative as the BBMB member (power), claiming Punjab had been unfairly sidelined during the board's reconstitution two years ago. HTC...