Amidst the political uproar over the proposed protest on July 10 announced by Indian National lok Dal (INlD), Chief Minster Manohar lal Khattar has made an appeal to the INlD to withdraw their proposed protest.
The Chief Minister apparently called up leader of opposition in Haryana Assembly and INlD’s senior leader Abhay Chautala to make an appeal to withdraw the party’s proposed protest on July 10.
The INlD has planned to stop vehicles entering the state from neighboring Punjab on July 10 to press for their demand of construction of Sutlej Yamuna link (SYl) canal. The party has however, maintained that no emergency vehicle like ambulances, fire brigades, police vehicles will be stopped during the one-day protest.
Ahead of July10 protest, Chautala is holding a series of meetings across the state to mobilise party workers for the proposed protest.
Apart from the Chief Minister, Cabinet Minister Ram Bilas Sharma has also asked Chautala to reconsider the decision to stop vehicles at Punjab-Haryana border on July 10
Sharma said that both states share same cordial and harmonious relationship. If the INlD vehicles at the Punjab-Haryana border on July 10, it might vitiate the cordial relations shared by the two States, besides causing inconvenience to the people, he added.
On the other hand, Haryana Agriculture Minister OP Dhankar has said there should be no politics on the SYl canal. Politics have been played for years on both sides. The court has decided in favour of Haryana on this issue, he added.
Former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda has accused the INlD of misleading the people on the emotive issue of SYl canal and said that their proposed protest is politically motivated
Both Punjab and Haryana are in the midst of a political and legal war over water sharing through the SYl canal, which has remained at the centre of controversy for more than four decades.
The Supreme Court in November 2016 had held the passing of the Punjab Termination of Water Agreements Bill, 2004, by the Punjab assembly as “unconstitutional”.
However, Punjab Government has flatly refused to construct the canal saying that the state has no more water to share with Haryana. The Apex Court will hear the water sharing dispute on July 11.