Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president and Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal on Wednesday accused AAP of “befooling” people of Punjab on SYL canal issue in order to secure votes in the wake of 2017 Assembly polls.
“Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) led Delhi government is indulging in deceitful tactics by stating it wanted water for Delhi but leaving it to Punjab and Haryana to fight over the SYL canal,” Mr Sukhbir Badal said in a statement here.
He said filing of affidavits in the Supreme Court was nothing but a “political ploy to befool” Punjabis and secure their votes in the 2017 Assembly elections.
The Delhi government has in its revised affidavit filed in the Supreme Court said it is only concerned about continuing to get its share of river waters as per the 1976 notification.
“This notification led to the construction of the SYL canal. So effectively the Delhi government wants water to flow through this canal even though it has present water supply arrangement with Haryana”, he added.
Asking Kejriwal to end this “double game”, Mr Badal said “you cannot keep playing cat and mouse forever. Punjabis just want you to answer a simple question. Are you in favour of construction of the SYL canal or not? This answer will determine whether you are in favour of the Punjabi farmer or against him”, he added.
Mr Badal said Mr Kejriwal first claimed that he was against construction of the SYL canal when on a visit to Sultanpur Lodhi in Punjab.
Mr Kejriwal, however, on reaching Delhi took a U turn and said everyone should get water, meaning his native State Haryana should get water from the SYL canal, Mr Badal said.
The SAD president said if the AAP government was really sincere towards Punjabi farmers it should pass a resolution in its Assembly supporting the stand taken by Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on the SYL canal.
“It should also affirm in the resolution that it is not in favour of construction of the SYL canal and believes in the riparian principal as far as sharing of river waters is concerned,” he said.
“If it does not do this it will prove beyond doubt that the Delhi government is in truck with Haryana and will continue to work with Haryana to rob Punjab of its river waters”, he added. - PTI
