Amid an escalating row over the issue of Sutlej Yamuna link (SYl) canal between Punjab and Haryana, leader of Opposition in Haryana Assembly and INlD’s senior leader Abhay Singh Chautala on Friday shot off a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking his intervention into the issue.
While drawing attention towards the orders of Supreme Court in favour of Haryana on SYl issue, Chautala urged the Prime Minister to put a stop to the efforts by certain political parties in Punjab to vitiate the atmosphere in violation of the order of the Apex Court.
“It is with regret that I point out that no sooner had these directions been given by the Supreme Court last year that the former Punjab Chief Minister had made a public statement that not even a single drop of water will be allowed to go to Haryana. Another, opposition party in Punjab lok Insaaf Party (lIP) declared that it would launch a ‘Jail Bharo Andolan’ if SYl canal is constructed,” said Chautala in his letter.
“There is no doubt that a concerted effort is already on in Punjab to undermine the authority and dignity of the SC even when all the political parties of Haryana had passed a unanimous resolution for the implementation of the decree. These efforts of political parties in Punjab have made the first move to vitiate the atmosphere in the region and clearly in view of the order of SC, the onus of maintaining peace by reining in agitators lies with the Chief Minister of Punjab,” stated the letter.
Urging the Prime Minister to intervene in the issue, Chautala in his letter stated, “In view of this, I urge you to prevail upon the Punjab Chief Minister to take preventive steps before there is any reaction in Haryana.”
Earlier this week , Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh had met PM Modi urging him to facilitate dialogue with Haryana for an early resolution of the SYl canal issue
The Supreme Court had on Tuesday directed the Punjab government to respect and execute its previous orders regarding construction of the SYl canal. Following this, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar lal Khattar had appealed to the Punjab CM Singh to take immediate steps to ensure construction of the SYl canal in Punjab territory.
Eyeing political revival by piggybacking on the emotive issue of SYl, Haryana’s main opposition party, INlD had on Monday blocked the national highway near Ambala and four other highways in Haryana as part of their one-day protest to press for their demand of construction of SYl canal.
It was the second time within six months that the INlD had held a protest at Haryana-Punjab border that has caused inconvenience to the public. On February 23, the INlD had taken thousands of activists towards Punjab near Shambu barrier in Ambala to start digging the SYl canal. However, the INlD members were rounded up for violating prohibitory orders and were sent to Patiala jail.