SYL result of Congress, SAD leaders' vested interests: Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann as Opposition skips debate

Tribune News Service

Sanjeev Singh Bariana

Chandigarh, November 1

Coming down on the Opposition in Punjab during his address at the “Main Punjab Bolda Haan” debate in Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann today said official records made it amply evident that for vested interests, “selfish” political leaders, particularly of the Congress

and SAD, had agreed, planned and executed the construction of the Sutlej-Yamuna Link canal.

The CM was the “lone debater” on the dais, with the other four Opposition participants — Leader of the Opposition (LoP) Partap Singh Bajwa, Punjab Pardesh Congress Committee chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring, SAD president Sukhbir Badal and state BJP chief Sunil Jakhar — choosing to skip the event, calling it a mere “political drama”.

‘Topic changed by cm at last minute’

On debate eve, CM changed topic from SYL to four issues, including drug abuse, gangsters and unemployment. SYL figured nowhere in his post. — Partap Singh Bajwa, Leader of opposition

‘Apologise for targeting my father’

Must apologise for falsely referring to a man standing beside Indira as my father Balram Jakhar during SYL’s earth-breaking in 1982 or face legal action. — Sunil Jakhar, Punjab BJP president

‘Stand on canal compromised by Govt’

CM has compromised Punjab’s stand on SYL canal by asserting Rajasthan and Haryana had ‘complete rights’ over the state’s river waters. — Daljit Singh Cheema, SAD

In his address, Mann said: “The opposition parties are hand in glove on the SYL issue. They don’t want to face the truth and are manufacturing lies. The SYL has been a classic saga of treachery, betrayal and sin against Punjab by its own leaders. We will show the truth to the people.” He also said then PM Indira Gandhi, vide a notification on March 24, 1976, divided the Ravi-Beas waters between Punjab and Haryana in the ratio of 50:50 in a “forcible” manner. Then CM Giani Zail Singh “ignored” the interests of the state and acted as a mere “puppet” of the Union Government, he claimed. Terming CM’s “maha debate” a “maha drama”, LoP Bajwa said: “A night before the debate, the CM through his X post changed the topic from SYL canal to four issues, including drug abuse, gangster culture and unemployment. The SYL issue was nowhere in post on the programme.”

BJP’s Jakhar asked the CM to either apologise to the people for falsely referring to the man standing with Indira as his father Balram Jakhar during the earth-breaking event of the SYL or he would initiate legal action.

The SAD said CM Mann had compromised state’s stand on the SYL by agreeing that Rajasthan and Haryana had “complete rights” over the state’s river waters. Prof Nirmal Jaura moderated the two-hour session, which started around 12 noon in the packed Dr Manmohan Singh Auditorium.

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#Bhagwant Mann #Congress #Punjab Agricultural University PAU #Sutlej Yamuna Link canal SYL