Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Badal on Wednesday said that Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) led Delhi government was indulging in deceitful tactics by stating that it wanted water for Delhi but leaving it to Punjab and Haryana to fight over the conveyance system (SYl canal) through which it is to be carried.
Stating that filing of such affidavits was nothing but a political ploy to befool Punjabis and secure their votes in the 2017 assembly elections, the SAD president asked AAP convener and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to explain how water could fly from Punjab to Delhi without construction of the SYl canal.
“The Delhi government has in its revised affidavit filed in the Supreme Court said that it is only concerned about continuing to get its share of river waters as per the 1976 notification. This notification led to the construction of SYl canal. So effectively, the Delhi government wants water to flow through this canal even though it has a present water supply arrangement with Haryana,” he added.
Asking Kejriwal to end this double game once and for all, Sukhbir said: “You can’t keep playing cat and mouse forever. Punjabis just want you to answer a simple question. Are you in favour of construction of the SYl canal or notIJ This answer will determine whether you are in favour of the Punjabi farmer or against him.”
Stating that the Delhi Chief Minister’s stance on this issue was there for all to see, Deputy Chief Minister said that Kejriwal first claimed that he was against construction of the SYl canal when on a visit to Sultanpur lodhi.
Sukhbir said that if AAP Government was really sincere towards the Punjabi farmers, it should pass a resolution in its Assembly supporting the stand taken by Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal on the SYl canal.
“It should also affirm in the resolution that it is not in favour of construction of the SYl canal and believes in the riparian principal as far as sharing of river waters is concerned…If it does not do this, it will prove beyond doubt that the Delhi government is in truck with Haryana and will continue to work with Haryana to rob Punjab of its river waters,” he added.