Battle over SYL canal escalates, threatens to embroil Delhi

Chandigarh, March 17

The standoff over the Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal escalated today with MLAs of opposition INLD in Haryana and Congress in Punjab today attempting to storm each other's Assemblies as the dispute threatened to embroil Delhi whose Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal opposed construction of the canal.

INLD legislators, led by Leader of Opposition Abhay Singh Chautala and state unit president Ashok Arora, went to the Punjab Assembly, which is in session, and staged a protest at its gate against a Bill passed on Monday by Punjab Assembly that provides for returning 3,928 acres of land acquired for construction of SYL canal to original landowners.

In a counter action, Congress MLAs of Punjab tried to barge into Haryana Assembly but were stopped by the watch and ward staff.

While the protest by INLD legislators lasted for quite some time, the Punjab Congress MLAs' action was a brief event.

A scuffle broke out between the INLD MLAs and watch and ward staff outside the Punjab Assembly.

Punjab and Haryana, with common capital Chandigarh, have Assemblies in the same complex here.

After the Question Hour, INLD MLAs moved out of the Haryana Assembly and went to the Punjab legislature raising slogans against the governments in Punjab and Haryana and demanded that the "unconstitutional" Bill be withdrawn.

Chautala later told reporters that "we met Punjab Assembly Speaker Charanjit Singh Atwal in his room in the complex and lodged our protest against the Bill passed by the House.

"The passage of the Bill will trigger a fresh row between the two states. We considered Punjab as our elder brother but today they have betrayed us."

"Now the people of Haryana will have no faith in Punjab...They have ended the relationship between the two states," he said.

He termed the situation as a "black chapter" in the history of Haryana and said his party will fight it till the end.

"If a need arises, INLD will mobilise its workers and proceed to the border with Punjab with implements to again dig up the under construction SYL canal being flattened by the people in Punjab," Chautala said.

Noting that Haryana government has shown strong resentment over Punjab's "unconstitutional" move on SYL canal issue, Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar said his government has returned the cheque for Rs 191.75 crore "in original" which Punjab had sent yesterday for Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal.

The Punjab Cabinet had on Tuesday decided to despatch a cheque for Rs 191.75 crore back to Haryana which had sent it towards construction of the SYL canal.

In a statement in Haryana Assembly, Khattar said he had requested Punjab Governor Kaptan Singh Solanki not to give assent to the Bill passed by that state's Assembly.

Haryana ministers hit out at Kejriwal

In the midst of Punjab-Haryana battle on SYL issue, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was the target of sharp attacks by two senior ministers of Haryana, OP Dhankar (Agriculture) and Capt Abhimanyu (Finance) for his recent statement opposing construction of SYL canal in Punjab.

A couple of days ago, Kejriwal, during his tour of Punjab, where his party AAP plans a big foray in assembly polls due next year, had come out against SYL canal.

Dhankar, in a letter to Kejriwal, asked him to "get his own canal constructed for carrying Delhi's share of water with your efforts."

"Haryana gets Delhi's 0.2 MAF share through the Bhakra Main Line from Punjab which then reaches Delhi through Narwana Branch and Western Yamuna canal.”

Dhankar said besides Haryana also transfers 330 cusec of Yamuna water through the Western Yamuna canal to Delhi. "Haryana is not able to lift its share of 498 cusec of water," he told Kejriwal.

"We have share of water in Ravi Beas at Nangal Dam meant for Haryana and Delhi, but there is no channel to get this water. And you have opposed the only proposed SYL canal, through which water for Haryana and Delhi would come, for your political benefits in Punjab," the minister said.

"For Delhi's needs of water you may take the trouble of getting your own canal constructed from Nangal Dam and Tajewala Headwork's (Yamunanagar) so that Delhi's share of water reaches the national capital due to your efforts," Dhankar told the Delhi Chief Minister.

Abhimanyu termed Kejriwal's statement on SYL canal issue as "irresponsible and factious."

Interacting with the media, he said the Delhi Chief Minister should keep in view the interests of the people of Delhi as Delhi was getting water through Haryana.

He said "Kejriwal was born in Siwani town of Haryana where the water level is the lowest. Kejriwal should think of his motherland as it had been thirsty far the last five decades."

Khattar also said he has spoken to Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and expressed his displeasure over Punjab government's move on the SYL canal.

"We are constantly in touch with the Centre also on SYL issue. I have spoken to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. All our MPs have also met the Prime Minister on this issue," he said.

On the other hand, Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal told the media in Moga that he is ready to "make any sacrifice" rather than allow a "single drop of water" to flow out of the state.

He said Punjab is "fully prepared" for a sustained democratic and peaceful fight for justice over the critical issues "affecting the destiny of coming generations". — PTI