Press trust of India
Abohar (Punjab), Nov 13: Hitting out at the Badal government over the Supreme Court’s ruling on the Sutlej Yamuna Link (SYL) Canal issue, Punjab Congress chief Amarinder Singh Sunday vowed to protect the last drop of the state’s water.
SAD MLAs should quit the Assembly, he said at a rally at Khuian Sarwar village near Abohar, the tail-end of the SYL Canal. State polls should be held next month itself to prevent Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal from further “vitiating” the atmosphere of the state, he said.
The Congress leader vowed to protect the “last drop” of Punjab’s water and declared “not a drop will be spared” till their “last breath”.
On the Chief Minister’s assertion that he (Badal) is ready to face a bullet to protect Punjab’s water, Amarinder alleged that in 1984, Badal had made such claims but when the time came to fight for the state he went into hiding, leaving the people to fend for themselves.
He also alleged that the Chief Minister has “destroyed” the state out of “sheer personal greed” and cannot be allowed to remain in power.
Asserting that implementation of the SYL verdict will “finish off” the two lakh families and two lakh agricultural labourers who farm 10 lakh acres of land in the state,
Amarinder alleged that SAD had 10 years to battle the case in the court effectively but failed to do anything. “They (SAD) were only interested in creation of Punjabi Suba to rule a Sikh-dominated region for their vested interests,” he alleged.
“Why did Badal not tell the court that Punjab had no water to spare, with all the glaciers having melted?” he asked and reiterated his demand for the establishment of a new tribunal to assess the quantum of water available with the state.
Referring to the controversial Clause 5 of the Punjab Termination of Agreements Act, Amarinder alleged Badal is misleading the state on the issue by making fraudulent claims on scrapping it.
He accused Badal of playing with the sentiments of the people and alleged that removal of the clause would not be acceptable to the BJP-led Central government, of which SAD is a part.
Political temperatures have risen in Punjab after the Supreme Court held as “unconstitutional” the 2004 law passed by Punjab to terminate the SYL canal water sharing agreement with Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Jammu and Kashmir, Delhi and Chandigarh.
Amarinder also lashed out at Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) national convener and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for allegedly failing to clarify, even three days after the SYL verdict, whether or not he stands with Punjab on this vital issue.
“His silence is deliberate as he has his eyes on the chief ministership of Punjab, while also trying desperately to protect his interests in Delhi and Haryana,” the Punjab Congress chief claimed.
