Bhagwant Mann part of conspiracy to destroy Punjab’s riparian claim: Sukhbir Badal

Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Wednesday lashed at Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann as according to him the Aam Aadmi Party government in the state was conspiring to destroy Punjab’s riparian right to river waters.

Chandigarh Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Wednesday lashed at Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann as according to him the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in the state was conspiring to destroy Punjab’s riparian right to river waters.

The SAD chief was reacting to Mann’s meeting with Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar and Union jal shakti minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat on the Sutlej Yamuna Link canal issue under dispute for the past 26 years. (PTI file photo)

The SAD chief was reacting to Mann’s meeting with Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar and Union jal shakti minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat on the contentious Sutlej Yamuna Link (SYL) canal issue under dispute for the past 26 years.

“Bhagwant Mann is a willing tool in this conspiracy. The whole idea of linkage of Yamuna with Sutlej is an age-old devious ploy to destroy all constitutional basis of Punjab claim, and this conspiracy had always been thwarted by SAD’s strong opposition to it,” said Sukhbir.

The river linkage is aimed at taking away Sutlej waters to Haryana on the pretext of creating a shared pool of water, said Badal adding, Mann must prepare to face agitation against this idea.

“The whole idea is preposterous. If Haryana is to get only Yamuna waters from the combined pool, why not simply ask it to continue to utilise it as it is doing now? The only purpose behind linkage is to drain Punjab’s river waters,” said Badal.

SAD will oppose this conspiracy and not a single drop of water belonging to Punjab will be allowed to be taken away against the riparian principle.