If Amarinder is sincere, he shouldn't contest Pb polls: Badal

Terming the resignation of Amarinder Singh as an MP over SYL issue a "drama to mislead the people", Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today said if the Punjab Congress president were "sincere and honest" he would have announced not to contest Assembly polls.
Protesting against the Supreme Court's verdict on the SYL canal issue, Amarinder had tendered his resignation as a Lok Sabha member yesterday. Today all Congress MLAs in Punjab resigned over the issue.
The Chief Minister accused the Punjab Congress leadership of "playing to the gallery" over the issue and said Amarinder and his colleagues were "trying to become martyrs" by tendering resignations just before Assembly polls.

"Amarinder being dubious by nature had enacted this drama just to mislead the people to better his electoral prospects. Had Amarinder been sincere and honest he'd have announced not to contest the forthcoming assembly polls," Badal said.
He dared the Punjab Congress chief to ask his fellow Congress MPs from state to step down on this issue if he was "really aghast" with Supreme Court verdict on the issue.
"Rather he was pitching for President's Rule in the state for paving a way for completion of SYL canal in the absence of any democratically-elected people's government," Badal said.

He was interacting with media on the sidelines of a summit on 'Sustainable Development Goals and Universal Health Coverage- States perspective' organised by the Health and Family Welfare Department Punjab in collaboration with PGIMER and WHO, India, here.

He said the SAD-BJP alliance would oppose the "anti- Punjab" decision as "we have absolute and legitimate right over the river waters as per universally accepted Riparian Principle".
He said common man would not allow Congress to succeed in its "nefarious designs" to betray the people and state.
"Congress is known for hatching conspiracies against the interests of Punjab and its people on the inter-state issues including sharing of rivers waters from day one," Badal said.
He said the Congress party was solely responsible for aggravating the "impending crisis".
Recalling the Congress's "conspiracy" to divest the state
of its legitimate share in river waters, Badal held the then prime minister Indira Gandhi responsible for Punjab's "crisis" as "she forced" the then Congress Chief Minister of Punjab Darbara Singh into signing an agreement to "give away" Punjab's waters to Haryana.

"She also forced him to withdraw the Supreme Court Case filed by him to protect Punjab river water interests," the Chief Minister alleged.
Badal also held Amarinder responsible for inviting Indira Gandhi to start the digging of the canal at Kapuri in his own constituency Patiala by offering her a silver spade to start the digging.
He said the then Congress rejoiced the occasion, while the SAD had launched a long peaceful democratic morcha for Punjab's interests as a result of which no river waters went out of Punjab since.
"Water is the lifeline of every citizen of Punjab, especially farmers, industry and trade so as a custodian of state's interest I am duty-bound to ensure that nobody snatches it," he added.

Earlier addressing the summit, the Chief Minister reiterated the firm commitment of SAD-BJP alliance government to impart accessible, affordable and quality health services to the people.
Laying stress on living a quality life, Badal advised the people to have simple food and exercise daily.
He also advised people to regularly get their health check up done so as to ensure diagnosis of any disease at early stage.
(REOPENS DES15)
Meanwhile, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president and Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal today said the poor response to AAP's call for a dharna showed that the farmers of Punjab had given a "befitting" answer to AAP for "betraying" them on the issue of river waters.

He also took a dig at Congress and said the party which was responsible for "creating" this problem would meet the same fate soon.
In a statement, the SAD president said the game was over for AAP with a party appeal to hold a massive dharna at Kapoori village in Patiala district "evincing a crowd of a few hundred persons".
He said this was the second "successive jolt" to the party with farmers earlier refusing to respond to an appeal by its State Convenor Gurpreet Singh Waraich alias Ghuggi to hold protests in mandis.
"Now the motley crowd of AAP outsiders can pack their bags and go back to their home towns in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar," he said.

"Punjabi farmers have seen through your game. They will never trust you again," the SAD president told AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal while referring to the manner in which he had betrayed the farmers on the issue of SYL.
"You (Kejriwal) told farmers during a meeting in Punjab that they did not have any water to spare. However, on returning to Delhi you supported Haryana's stand and demanded the SYL canal be constructed," said Sukhbir.
On the resignation by Congress representatives, Badal said it was clear that Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh had resigned from the Lok Sabha because he wanted to contest the next Assembly election from Patiala constituency.

He said the same was the case with the Congress MLAs who were ready to face a re-election.
"Our case is different. We have to safeguard the interests of the state. We cannot run away from our responsibilities like the Congress. We have called a special session of the Vidhan Sabha to course out our next action. I assure Punjabis we will come out with a solution to safeguard their waters," he said.