INLD, BSP hold protest at Bhiwani
ROHTAK: In their first joint action after announcing alliance, the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) jointly began ‘jail bharo’ agitation, seeking completion of the SYL canal in Bhiwani on Tuesday.
Leader of opposition, Abhay Chautala, state president of INLD Ashok Arora, state president of BSP Prakash Bharati and Hisar MP Dushyant Chautala were among the leaders of the two parties who courted arrest.
Before his arrest, Chautala said the government, which has been directed by the Supreme Court to complete the construction of the SYL canal, has been sitting over the directive even after final disposal of the dispute for the past 18 months.
He accused the central and the state government of conspiring against the interests of Haryana. “While the central government has been dragging its feet, the Manohar Lal Khattar-led BJP government in Haryana has been trying to give a new dimension to the already settled issue of the river water so as to find a new ruse to delay the completion of the canal,” Chautala said.
He said, “The insensitive centre and Haryana BJP government do not seem to realise that the state was staring at a manmade disaster by delaying the legitimate share to it from the river waters. Even at this moment, south Haryana has slipped into a ‘dark zone’ in relation to groundwater. Much of the development in that region was undertaken because of the belief that the water needs of the region, both agricultural and residential, would be adequately met with the waters from rivers through SYL canal when it would reach these areas,” he said.
He said to safeguard the interests of farmers and people of the state, INLD was prepared to make any sacrifice. He added that their struggle has now been boosted with the support of the BSP and he was confident that their joint efforts will ultimately succeed to getting the desired results.