SC tells Punjab to share water; politics hots up
Politics over the Sutlej-Yamuna Link Canal heated up in poll-bound Punjab soon after the Supreme Court asked the state to share water with neighbouring Haryana.
Upping the ante, Punjab Congress chief Amarinder Singh accused the Akali government of presenting a weak case in the apex court and resigned from Amritsar Lok Sabha seat in protest, even as deputy chief minister Sukhbir Badal declared that “not a drop of water” would be shared with other states.
All the Congress lawmakers in Punjab also tendered their resignations to the assembly speaker and would meet him on Friday over the issue. “The Akalis let down the people of Punjab on this critical issue, selling off their interests to Haryana,” said Amarinder.
Punjab will have assembly polls early next year, which explains the strong positions that parties are taking over an emotive issue like water sharing.
While both the Congress and the Akalis in Punjab opposed the court’s order, the BJP and the Congress in Haryana welcomed it.
“I welcome the Supreme Court verdict. It is natural justice,” Haryana Chief Minister ML Khattar said in Chandigarh. “The Supreme Court has given its decision on this vital issue after 12 years and it is a result of the persistent efforts made by the present state government,” he said.
Haryana Congress leaders welcomed the apex court order saying justice had been done. “A historic and path-breaking verdict by Supreme Court upholds Haryana’s claim on SYL. Victory for people, justice for Haryana. Satyamev Jayate,” Congress communication department chief Randeep Surjewala, who is also a Haryana lawmaker, tweeted.
The 214-km canal linking Sutlej and Yamuna rivers was planned in 1966 after Haryana was carved out of Punjab. But Punjab has been regularly opposing the project saying its agriculture will suffer and has not constructed its part of the canal though Haryana has done its bit.
“There will be disastrous consequences. Around one million acres will go completely dry, the livelihood of millions will be hit,” Amarinder said.