Hitting out at the Badal Government over the Supreme Court’s ruling on the Satluj-Yamiuna link (SYl) issue, Punjab Congress chief Capt Amarinder Singh on Sunday vowed to protect the last drop of the State’s water.
Capt Amarinder, addressing the party’s rally at Khuian Sarwar village near Abohar — the tail-end of the SYl canal—protesting against SYl verdict, asked the SAD MlAs to quit the Assembly saying that the state polls should be held next month itself to prevent Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal from further “vitiating” the atmosphere of the State.
He 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 the bullet in order to protect Punjab’s water, Capt 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” two lakh families and two lakh agricultural labourers who farm 10 lakh acres of land in the State, Capt 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 in order 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,” the state Congress chief asked reiterating 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, Capt Amarinder alleged that Badal is misleading the state on the issue by making fraudulent claims on scrapping it.
“Scrapping the clause would have huge national ramifications, which could even lead to the Centre sacking the Akali government in Punjab, which is probably what Badal is aiming at in order to secure political mileage ahead of the polls by making the issue even more contentious,” he said.
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.
Talking to mediapersons later, he once again made it clear that the Punjab Congress would go all out to find a legal solution to the SYl tangle.
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 & Kashmir, Delhi and Chandigarh.
Capt Amarinder also lashed out at the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for 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,” said the Punjab Congress president. Questioning the rationale behind the border evacuations carried out some weeks back, Capt Amarinder said that it was done by Badal only to please the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), of which the Akalis are an ally.
Capt Amarinder also came down heavily on the Central Government, lambasting it for pushing the common people to the verge of disaster as a result of its ill-planned demonetization, which had left tens of thousands of people, mainly the poor and daily wagers, suffering while the actual culprits of corruption had been warned in advance so they could go scot-free.
The entire Government at the Centre seems to be engaged in destroying the lives of the common people, said Captain Amarinder, referring to the delay in implementation of OROP. “If I ever get a chance to be on the defence ministry I will send all babus to the front to expose them to the hardships faced by our army personnel. That will perhaps teach them to respect and protect the interests of our defence personnel.”
The mega rally was attended, among others, by Punjab Congress vice-presidents Sunil Jakhar and Manpreet Badal, Indian Youth Congress president Raja Amarinder Singh Warring, former MP Santosh Chowdhary, party MlAs Preneet Kaur, Tripat Rajinder Singh Bajwa, Rana Gurmeet Sodhi, Karan Kaur Brar, Inderbir Singh Bolaria, Ajaib Singh Bhatti, Guriqbal Kaur Babbli, Joginder Singh Panjgrain and Parminder Pinki.
Sunil Jakhar, taking on Badal, accused him of allowing the SYl issue to hang fire till the time of the elections.
Badal Government did not even bother to hire competent lawyers till after the decision came out against the interests of Punjab, said Jakhar, adding that the BJP and Akalis were clearly acting in cahoots with an eye on the polls.