Khattar hails SYL verdict; khaps threaten to disconnect Punjab

Pradeep Sharma & Parvesh Sharma

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 10

Hailing the Supreme Court verdict on the Presidential Reference in SYL case, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Thursday said the decision has brought a smile on the face of every Haryanavi because now the state would get its legitimate share of the surplus Ravi-Beas waters that is 3.5 Million Acre Feet (MAF).

The people of the state had been eagerly waiting for this decision since long but it kept lingering on because of laxity of the previous governments, Khattar said, adding that this is a gift to the people of Haryana in the golden jubilee year of the state.

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Meanwhile, advising the Punjab government to follow the SC verdict Haryana khaps have threatened to block all roads and rail tracks connecting Punjab and New Delhi if the Centre does not take required steps in two days.

In a tweet, Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala termed it a historic verdict.

A historic & path breaking verdict by Supreme Court upholds Haryana's claim on SYL. Victory for people, justice for Haryana.Satyamev Jayate!

— Randeep S Surjewala (@rssurjewala) November 10, 2016

The Supreme Court, Khattar said, gave its decision in favour of Haryana on all the four points for which Presidential Reference was sought.

He said these points were included: Whether the Punjab Termination of Agreements Act, 2004, and the provision thereof are in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution of India; whether the Punjab Termination of Agreements Act-2004 and the provisions thereof are in accordance with the provisions of Section 14 of Inter-State Water Disputes Act-1956, Section 78 of the Punjab Re-organisation Act-1966 and the notification dated March 24, 1976 issued there under; whether the state of Punjab has validly terminated the agreement dated December 31, 1981 and all other agreements relating to the Ravi-Beas waters and is discharged from its obligation under the said agreements; whether in view of the provisions of the Act, the state of Punjab is discharged from its obligations flowing from the judgement and decree dated January 1,2002 and judgement and order dated June 4,2004 of the Supreme Court.

After the Supreme Court verdict, khap leaders in Haryana advised the neighbouring state to follow the decision on SYL. They threatened to disconnect Punjab from New Delhi by blocking all road and rail connectivity if the Punjab government refused to accept the verdict.

Khap leaders were in the city to attend a hearing in the Jat reservation case in Punjab and Haryana High Court.

“We would wait for two days to see whether the Central government takes required steps for the implementation of the SC decision to get our share of water. If within two days, the Centre does not take the required steps, we would block all roads and rail tracks connecting Punjab and New Delhi,” said Sube Singh Sumain, spokesman of Samasat Jat Samaj Sanghthan and a senior khap leader.

Other khap leaders alleged that the Punjab government had been trying to make it a poll issue ahead of the state Assembly polls due next year.

Haryana BKU to support agitation against Punjab govt

Bhartiya Kisan Union, Haryana, has also announced to support khaps in their agitation if the Punjab government refuses to accept the decision of the SC verdict over the SYL canal.

“We have started preparing for the agitation because we believe that the Punjab government is going to oppose the decision without any valid point. We are in touch with all Haryana leaders of BKU and would take a final decision tomorrow about our agitation,” said Bhura Ram, general secretary of BKU, Haryana.

He also alleged that all political parties of Punjab were doing politics over SYL to garner votes in the forthcoming state assembly elections.  

“Politicians must understand that decision has come from apex court of country and not from any other authority,” he said.