Chandigarh. Shiromani Akali Dal has urged Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann to discuss the Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal in a meeting with Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar tomorrow. What approach will you take? According to the SAD, because there are clear indications that the Chief Minister will betray the interests of Punjab at the behest of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convener Arvind Kejriwal. Former Minister Dr. Daljit Singh Cheema said here today that the fact that the Chief Minister did not explain his stand to the Punjabis nor held an all-party meeting to take a firm stand on the issue indicates that It is that AAP’s national convener Arvind Kejriwal is pressurizing him to take advantage of the AAP party in Haryana politics. Dr. Cheema, before attending the meeting with the Chief Minister of Haryana, should make it clear that Punjab has neither a drop of water nor land to give for the construction of SYL canal.
The Chief Minister should also make it clear that Punjab has exclusive rights over the river water and Haryana as a non-riparian state has no right on this issue. Dr. Cheema said that it is the responsibility of the Chief Minister to take a clear public stand on the SYL issue before negotiating with Haryana, as he has shown weakness in standing before his leader Kejriwal who is bent on giving water to Haryana. Mann has publicly supported the AAP convener’s stand that water should be released from Punjab to Haryana. The AAP Party (AAP) has already made an announcement to this effect in Haryana and is in the process of taking credit for this dubious achievement. (talk)
