Trouble may flow for the new Government in Punjab over the Satluj-Yamuna link (SYl) canal issue.
Just about a fortnight after the Punjab Assembly election results on March 11, the ‘party-in-power’ may find itself face-to-face with the politically fluid condition over the construction of the canal, with the Supreme Court fixing March 28 as the next date of hearing.
The new Government will barely get time to settle down before facing the daunting task of saving Punjab waters as promised by all major political parties in their election manifestos. The prolem is likely to be more acute in case no political party manages to get a clear verdict during the elections and a coalition Government comes into being in the State.
Political observers also believed that the Apex Court verdict being final in nature would have to be complied with, living hardly any option with the State Government.
Under the circumstances, another uphill task for the Government would be to take the people into confidence and manage any possible public unrest in the process of implementing the SC verdict.
The political temperatures in the two neighbouring States of Punjab and Haryana is soaring over the issue after the Apex Court made it clear that the SYl canal had to be constructed and both the State Governments must maintain law and order.
In a major setback to the Punjab Government, the Supreme Court, on November 11, 2016, had declared as “unconstitutional” the 2004 law enacted by the State Government to terminate the SYl canal water sharing agreement with neighbouring States of Haryana and Rajasthan.
Soon after the verdict, the issue metamorphisised itself into a mega political controversy with almost all the political parties in Punjab and Haryana jumping into the fray.
In protest, all 42 Congress legislators, and Amritsar MP Capt Amarinder Singh resigned from the membership of the respective Houses while accusing SAD-BJP combine for its failure to save State’s waters.
The ruling SAD-BJP coalition Government, among other things, denotified land acquired for SYl canal’s construction and returned to its original owners, besides holding a day’s special assembly session and passing resolutions.
Akali Dal squarely blamed the Congress party, especially the former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and Capt Amarinder Singh, for paving way for the construction of the controversial canal. On the other hand, it has also blamed AAP, which is holding power in Delhi — a beneficiary state of SYl, for submitting an affidavit against the state in the Apex Court that resulted in adverse verdict.
Amidst this, AAP maintained a strategic silence, eyeing Haryana after Punjab.
The issue, in fact, dominated the Punjab elections with the Akalis, the Congress, and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) making clear its stand against sharing Punjab waters, while, at the same time, blaming each other for the adverse SC judgement.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which is holding power at the Centre, in Haryana and also in Punjab in alliance with the SAD, has maintained a tactical stance on the issue with the Prime Minister Narendra Modi evading any direct comment on the controversial topic of constructing SYl canal during election rallies in Punjab, and invoking Indus Water Treaty with Pakistan.
Modi, in one of his election rallies in the State, had announced that the river waters of India’s share in Indus Water Treaty that goes to Pakistan untapped would be utilized effectively to irrigate the fields of Punjab farmers and the other States. The SAD-BJP combine has all along been requesting the Supreme Court to adjourn the matter till the state elections results are announced, that is March 11, which was categorically refused by the top court.
WHAT POlITICAl PARTIES SAY
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Thursday stressed on giving water to Haryana from the Sharda-Yamuna link canal as per the plan made’, while the Punjab Congress stressed on fighting the legal battle strongly.
Advocate and senior AAP leader HS Phoolka maintained that Punjab has no surplus water to give to Haryana and it should be given from the Sharda-Yamuna link canal as per the plan made’.
Senior Congress leader, requesting anonymity, told The Pioneer that the party has amply clear stand that it would not let State water to flow in neighbouring States and would fight the legal battle on the issue with all its might after forming the Government in the State.
SAD president Sukhbir Badal had earlier reiterated his party’s stand that not even a single drop of water would be shared with any of the neighbouring states of Punjab while, at the same time, maintaining that the Akali Dal’s political alliance with Haryana-based Indian National lok Dal (INlD) led by jailed leader Om Paraksh Chautala and his son Abhay Chautala, long ago.