Part of the Satluj Yamuna link canal. File. | Photo Credit: Akhilesh Kumar
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is seen facing heat over the “emotional” issue of the construction of the Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal – the focal point of the water dispute between Haryana and Punjab – after the opposition party on July 19 slammed AAP following Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s muted comments. about the controversial issue.
In different public platforms, Mr. Mann has maintained that Punjab does not have a drop of water which can be shared with anyone and hence the question of building the SYL canal does not arise.
However, on July 18, when the AAP announced that it would contest all 90 seats in the upcoming Haryana Assembly elections – a response Mr. Mann echoed around the SYL channel – he said he would not be able to say much on the matter as a sub-sub. -judice in the Supreme Court, has evoked a clear reaction from the opposition in Punjab, giving political ammunition to target AAP both in Punjab, where it is in power and neighboring Haryana, where AAP is set to contest the assembly polls in itself.
Since 1982
The SYL canal, the foundation of which was built in 1982, was to link the Sutlej and Yamuna rivers in Punjab and Haryana, but the project never saw the light of day as it did in the 1990s – amid the rise of terrorism – dividing the water. so it’s a sensitive issue. Terrorists even shot officials and workers involved in the construction of the SYL canal to stop the project.
Assembly elections in Haryana are scheduled later this year.
Beating AAP, the Leader of Opposition in the Punjab Assembly, Congress’s Partap Singh Bajwa, accused the Punjab Chief Minister of failing to defend the country’s rights.
‘Matter sub-judice’
Mr. Bajwa said that Mr. Mann on Thursday refused to talk about the SYL continuation issue stating that the matter was sub-judice and he could not comment on the issue, which he said reflected the Chief Minister’s “weak attitude” around Punjab’s interests. .
“What an attitude he (Mr. Mann) adopts when explaining the issue of Punjab at least! He and his party colleagues always take a weak stance when defending Punjab’s rights in river water and capital issues,” said Mr. Bajwa.
Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) was also targeted by AAP, terming Mr. Mann’s “attitude” as tantamount to dealing a death blow to Punjab’s farmers and the agricultural economy for vote-bank politics ahead of the Assembly elections in Haryana.
“Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has once again proved that he is ready to sell Punjab river water to please his boss Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. He (Mr. Mann) has earned the dubious distinction of being the only Chief Minister of a State to take an anti-Punjab stance in continuation of SYL by dubbing the issue as ‘sub judice’… This is tantamount to dealing a death blow to the farmers of Punjab and the agricultural economy only for vote-bank politics in the upcoming Assembly polls in Haryana,” said Sukhbir Singh Badal, president of SAD.
‘Cong., criticism of BJP’
In Haryana, Congress and BJP criticized AAP’s stance on the continuation of SYL. BJP national secretary and former Haryana state president OP Dhankar said the Punjab CM’s comments have exposed AAP. “They (AAP) are not concerned about the people of Haryana, and neither are the people of Delhi. The construction of SYL will benefit the state. But AAP is limited to play politics on the issue. People of Haryana will not take it seriously when they expect polls, ” he said.
Leader of the Opposition in the Haryana Assembly and former Chief Minister, Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda said that the Supreme Court had given a verdict on the SYL issue for Haryana, which it had to follow. “The AAP-led Punjab government should take steps to implement the apex court’s order. They (AAP) should not play politics on the emotive issue of SYL for election results. Also, there is a Bharatiya Janta Party government in Haryana and at the Center and its duty is also to implement the decision. court,” he said.
