Vij: Forgetting its culture, Punjab snatching water from Haryana

Haryana’s Energy, Transport and Labour Minister Anil Vij today slammed the Punjab Government over the water dispute and said that Punjab’s culture was to offer water to the thirsty, but now it was snatching water from the people of Haryana.

Expressing displeasure over the issue, the Cabinet Minister said, “Punjab’s culture was to offer water to the thirsty through ‘chhabils’, but today, this same Punjab has snatched away the drinking water glass from the people of Haryana.”

Anil Vij said “In a federal structure, we can’t live with this attitude of me and me only. We are interconnected with our neighbouring states in one way or another. Just like you (Punjab) have stopped our water, what would your condition be if we block your railway routes and roads? However, we will not do this because we respect the country’s federal structure.”

Meanwhile, amid the ongoing tussle between Haryana and Punjab, Panthak Dal (Jhinda) has accused Punjab leaders of trying to snatch Haryana's rights. Panthak Dal (Jhinda) chief Jagdish Singh Jhinda, who is also Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee's former president and a member of the new committee, said, “Earlier, we had to struggle for years to get the rights to manage the gurdwaras in Haryana because the Punjab-based leaders wanted to control Haryana's gurdwaras. Now, they want us to struggle for the water. We can’t let them stop the water and see our farmers and other people suffer. We will stand strongly with the government in this struggle.”

“The HSGMC members are scheduled to meet the Haryana CM on Sunday. During the meeting, the Panthak Dal will extend support to the CM over the issue of water. We will also request the other members of the HSGMC to extend their support to the government so that a clear message is given to Punjab that the people of Haryana are standing firmly with the government,” he added.

Meanwhile, HSGMC member and Sikh Samaj Sanstha president Didar Singh Nalvi said that the Centre should intervene strongly and find a permanent solution between both states. “The matter is being dealt with politically as per the political stands of parties in different states instead of resolving the crucial matter in public interest. The Centre should form a body, including experts and the states concerned, to resolve the issues related to canals at the national level. Besides this, there is a need to tap every drop of water in this region so that the water is utilised in the best possible manner.”