A day after Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh’s controversial statement on Sutlej Yamuna link (SYl) canal, Haryana Minister Anil Vij hit back at Punjab CM
calling him an “irresponsible person”.
Taking strong exception to the statement of Capt Amarinder who had said that the construction of the SYl canal to provide water to neighbouring Haryana could trigger revival of militancy in Punjab, Haryana Health Minister Anil Vij on Tuesday said his State would close the matter only after getting its due share of water through the SYl canal.
Vij while talking to the mediapersons here said the main issue for the people of Haryana pertained to bringing the Ravi-Bias waters through SYl Canal and they had nothing to do with Capt. Amarinder Singh, he said.
SYl canal issue will not remain forever and Capt. Amarinder will also not remain CM forever, said Vij while reacting to Punjab CM’s remarks where he said that Amarinder rahe na rahe, SYl will become a national problem if the final judgment goes against Punjab.
Vij added that statement made by Capt. Amarinder Singh was clearly a contempt of the Supreme Court. He is also encouraging terrorist ideology through his statements which is not good for Punjab. The law and order situation in Haryana is well under control, Vij added.
Notably, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar lal Khattar and his Punjab counterpart had openly confronted each other on the SYl canal issue, during NZC meeting held under the chairmanship of Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh last month in Chandigarh.
Punjab and Haryana have been at loggerheads over the SYl canal issue since decades. The Supreme Court in a verdict last November had held as unconstitutional, the 2004 law passed by Punjab to terminate the SYl canal water sharing agreement with neighbouring states.
However, Punjab Government had flatly refused to construct the canal saying that the State has no water to share with Haryana.