Punjab Congress chief Amarinder Singh on Thursday claimed that Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal acquired land for the construction of the SYL canal in Punjab.
“Today, I challenge you, Badal, to deny or dispute one single word of what I will be saying and quoting about your role in getting the foundation of the SYL laid down just to please your personal friend Devi Lal”, Capt Singh dared Mr. Badal, adding, “you better look at yourself than level baseless charges on the Congress”.
On the sidelines of 14th session of ‘Halqe vich Captain’, here, he also asked Mr. Badal on what he was going to do, in case the Supreme Court decides against Punjab on the SYL (Sutlej Yamuna Link Canal) issue.
“Yes we have decided to resign the same day in case SC decides against Punjab, you tell the people of Punjab what you are going to do”, he asked Mr. Badal, while daring him, “Will you also like to resign along with us?”
Reacting to Mr. Badal’s criticism of his announcement about resigning on the issue, Capt Singh said: “Badal was trying to lay the blame on the Congress party for laying the foundation stone of the SYL, while actually it was he as the Chief Minister who had acquired the land for the purpose in 1978 and also taken money from Haryana”.
Giving details, he claimed, Mr. Badal issued the notification for land acquisition for the SYL on February 20, 1978 vide notification numbers 113/5/SYL and 121/5/SYL under Section 4 of the Land Acquisition Act.
With this, the process of land acquisition started, he pointed out.
The PCC president disclosed that this was acknowledged by Mr. Devi Lal in the Haryana Vidhan Sabha on March 1, 1978, where he proudly claimed that it was because of his personal relationship with Mr. Badal that he had convinced him (Badal) for land acquisition for the SYL.
“For personal relationship with Mr. Devi Lal, Mr. Badal put Punjab’s interests at stake”, Capt Singh alleged. PTI
