Punjab Congress president Capt Amarinder Singh on Wednesday scorned Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal’s assertion that he would demand royalty from riparian states for using Punjab’s river waters, saying the chief minister had clearly become senile.
“He has lost it. What else can explain such a senseless, illogical and irrational statement on his partIJ” the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) president said, pointing out that Punjab does not have its own rivers to stake claim to.
Both Sutlej and Beas, which feed the state, originate outside Punjab, which has absolutely no claim to them, Capt Amarinder noted, adding that the Akalis had sold off their rights to all important resources, including hydro-electric power, water, forests and tourism, to Himachal Pradesh through the creation of the Punjab Suba 50 years ago.
“So from whom, and on what grounds, does Badal propose to demand royalty for use of water which does not belong to Punjab in the first placeIJ In fact, Punjab itself is using water coming from another state, and by making such atrocious statements, Badal would end up creating even more problem for it,” said Capt Amarinder.
“If royalty on water is allowed, then tomorrow, Himachal Pradesh can demand royalty on water being used by Punjab,” he warned.
Badal had on Tuesday said that Punjab would demand royalty from riparian States if the Supreme Court verdict on the SYl issue went against it.
Dismissing the statement as completely ridiculous and a sign of Badal’s mental infirmity, Capt Amarinder pointed out that the argument that certain other states were claiming royalty for use of their mineral resources was not at all sustainable in the context of the SYl row.
According to Capt Amarinder, Badal was merely trying to divert public attention from his government’s failure to adequately defend Punjab in the apex court by raising the royalty bogey.