As the neighbouring States —Punjab and Haryana — continue their slugfest over the Sutlej Yamuna link (SYl) canal, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar lal led a high level delegation to raise the contentious issue with Union Minister Nitin Gadkari on Wednesday, just a day before hearing in the Supreme Court on the water-sharing dispute.
The opposition, on the other hand, has threatened to launch an agitation if the Centre fails to begin the construction of SYl canal at the earliest.
Under fire from the opposition for its lackadaisical approach on the vexed SYl issue, the BJP-led Haryana Government on Wednesday put forth its viewpoint on the canal issue and demanded the Centre to protect state’s interests on the matter of sharing of river waters between Punjab and Haryana.
During the meeting with Union Minister for Water Resources Nitin Gadkari, the Chief Minister apprized him about the significance of SYl canal for the people of Haryana. The Chief Minister was accompanied by Union Minister Birender Singh, four senior Haryana cabinet ministers, Bhiwani MP Dharambir Singh, BJP state president Subhash Barala, Chief Secretary DS Dhesi among other senior BJP leaders during the meeting.
Manohar lal, while talking to the mediapersons after the meeting said that the Union Minister has assured the state delegation that the interests of Haryana on the issue of SYl canal would be fully protected.
When asked to comment on Punjab’s claims that it “does not have a single drop of water to spare” for any other state, the Chief Minister said that once the SYl canal is constructed, the issue of release of water could be resolved through mutual dialogue.
On Congress led Punjab Government’s stand against the construction of the canal, Manohar lal said that the SYl did not belong to any particular political party.
Commenting on taking support of the opposition parties in Haryana on this issue, the Chief Minister said his government is fighting for the interests of the state by taking along all political parties.
The Supreme Court had in June said that its verdict to construct the SYl canal had to be complied with and granted time to Centre, Haryana and Punjab till September 7 to come to a consensus for construction of the canal.
Ahead of SC hearing, the Central Government has also held a joint meeting of senior officials of Punjab and Haryana to resolve the issue amicably.
Meanwhile, Indian National lok Dal, Haryana’s main opposition party has threatened to launch another agitation if the Centre fails to begin construction of the canal. leader of opposition in Haryana and INlD’s senior leader Abhay Chautala has said that if the Centre fails to begin construction of SYl after September 7 court’s hearing, the INlD will announce a Statewide protest during the function on September 25, the birthday of their party’s founder late Chaudhary Devi lal.
Accusing the BJP of deliberately delaying the construction of SYl canal, Chautala said that the ruling BJP at the Centre and in Haryana has failed to protest the interests of people of the state even after the SC directions on construction of SYl canal.
Having lost three consecutive assembly elections in Haryana, the INlD is eyeing political revival by piggybacking on the emotive issue of SYl canal and had in the past launched several protests demanding the construction of the canal.
Former Chief Minister and senior Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda has also asked the BJP Government to act on the directions of Apex Court and ensure completion of SYl canal at the earliest.
Notably, 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. After the SC’s verdict on SYl canal in Haryana’s favour, the issue turned into a full-scale political war between the two neighboring states.
While Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh had expressed hope that the contentious issue could be resolved through dialogue, the ruling BJP in Haryana has maintained that the SC directions for construction of SYl canal should be implemented.
Punjab has also maintained that it does not have surplus water to share with Haryana.