Political parties in Punjab and Haryana are set for a face-off on the issue of sharing water from the Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal after Haryana’s Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) declared that it would march towards Punjab on February 23 to dig the canal.
INLD leader Abhay Chautala has announced that party workers would march towards Punjab after gathering at Ambala’s grain market to dig the SYL canal “to get its share of water”.
The Punjab Congress and the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) have reacted sharply to this move by the INLD. While the SAD has urged political parties from Haryana not to indulge in activities that provoke the people of Punjab on the SYL issue — the Congress has demanded action by the Haryana government against the INLD to prevent the eruption of an inter-State crisis.
Former Chief Minister and Punjab Congress president Captain Amarinder Singh on Saturday said the Centre and the State government in Haryana should take all necessary steps to prevent any violation of Punjab’s borders by the INLD.
“Abhay Chautala’s inflammatory statement has the potential of further escalating the tensions already triggered by the ongoing Jat agitation in Haryana,” said Capt. Amarinder.
‘Mischievous agenda’
Capt. Amarinder accused the Chautalas of indulging in a political misadventure and of trying to take advantage of their proximity to the Badals. He also alleged that the Chautalas were pinning their hopes for realising their mischievous agenda on the silent connivance of the Badals on the issue.
On the other hand, SAD secretary and spokesman Dr. Daljit Singh Cheema asked political parties from Haryana not to indulge in activities that could provoke the people of Punjab on the emotive issue of the SYL canal.
“The SYL issue is dead, once for all, as the Punjab Assembly as well as the SAD-BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) government of the State has passed resolutions for the restoration of the land acquired for the project. As the land acquired for the project has been restored to the original owners, it is now in the possession of the farmers of the State,” he said. “Such statements will lead to tension in both States and incite violence...” he said.
