A delegation of Congress legislators, led by the Haryana Congress legislature Party (ClP) leader Kiran Choudhry, called on the President Pranab Mukherjee, in New Delhi on Thursday and presented him with a memorandum, demanding imposition of President’s Rule in both Haryana and Punjab due to the constitutional crisis that has come to grip the two states.
The memorandum pertained to the serious issue of Sutlej-Yamuna link (SYl) Canal, and the recent Jat agitation across Haryana.
On the SYl Canal, the Congress asked when the Supreme Court is seized of the matter, how could the Punjab Government pass the Punjab SYl (Rehabilitation and Re-vesting of Proprietary Rights Bill 2016) which seeks to give the proprietary rights back to the land owners whose lands were acquired in 1977 for construction of the SYl, price for which was paid by the Haryana Government.
These events have led to a constitutional crisis. The two enactments of Punjab have dealt a deadly blow to the federal structure of India.
The Punjab Assembly has indulged in enacting totally illegal and unconstitutional acts to bypass and defeat the orders issued by the apex court, the memorandum stated.
This issue has caused disappointment to the people of Haryana, may lead to breakdown of the law-and-order situation, and also create a constitutional crisis affecting the unity and integrity of the nation, the memorandum stated.
Talking to the mediapersons after the meeting, Choudhry said the President gave them a patient hearing.
“We apprised him of how people in Punjab had started filling land meant for SYl even as the bill passed by the Punjab Assembly is yet to get Governor’s assent,” she said.
The BJP Government in Haryana has been reduced to a mute bystander when the interests of the people of the state who were gripped by an acute sense of insecurity during the recent Jat agitation, are being trampled upon.
Such Government has no right to be in office,” she said demanding imposition of President’s rule.