Cutting across partylines, Punjab Assembly passed a resolution against SYL construction saying the state does not have water from Ravi and Beas rivers to share with Haryana.
The development assumes siginifance as it came a day after the Supreme Court directed status quo on land meant for Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal after Haryana alleged that attempts have been made to alter its use by levelling it.
internationally-accepted riparian principle."
The resolution declared that "the SYL canal will not be allowed to be constructed at any cost and under any circumstances."
More From This Section
Badal said his state is facing a "crisis of water" and does not have even one drop to share with other states.
"In view of this, neither was there ever a need to construct SYL canal then nor it is there now," he told the House.
Committing his party Shiromani Akali Dal and government to the strongest measures needed in order to protect the interests of the people of Punjab, Badal appealed to Punjabis to prepare themselves for tough battles ahead for the purpose.
Badal minced no words while declaring that he would "protect and safeguard with all the might at his disposal the rivers' water of the state".
The Chief Minister was referring to the Supreme Court ordering status quo on the issue of SYL canal.
Badal said that there was a wide consensus that Punjab
did not have even a single drop of water to spare for any other state.
"In view of that, there never had been any need nor is there one now to construct the SYL canal. Neither is it even possible to do so. I wish to state in most unequivocal terms that we will not allow this canal to be constructed at any cost," declared a charged-up Punjab Chief Minister.
Channi said that Congress will always stand at the forefront to protect the interests of people of Punjab. "Mr Badal, we are all with you on this issue," he said.
Mittal, a senior BJP leader, said it is SAD-BJP government which has always stood up for the interest of Punjab.
He said the state is facing shortage of water and there is no need to construct SYL.
Khattar, while talking to the media after Haryana assembly session, said "it appeared that the issue now raised by Punjab government aimed at gaining mileage during coming assembly elections."
The CM assured the House that Haryana would do everything possible to get its share of Ravi-Beas waters through SYL canal.
He said that SYL canal is a lifeline for farmers of Haryana and BJP has always been serious on this issue and six of its MLAs had resigned nine months before the elections, he said.
Taking a dig at Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, Khattar said the move to pass a Bill to de-notify farmers land acquired for construction of SYL canal could also be an excuse of Badal to "leave" the government in the midst due to "fear" of upcoming assembly elections so that he might contest the polls from outside.
He said Punjab Assembly's resolution against the construction of SYL canal in Punjab for carrying Haryana's share of Ravi Beas was despite the SC having directed to maintain status quo.
"I feel Punjab government has crossed all its limits and doesn't have faith in the country's judicial system. It has become judge on its own," Dhankar told reporters.
"This move of the Punjab assembly was to deprive Haryana of its rightful share in river water," he said.
Meanwhile, Union Minister from Haryana Birender Singh disapproved of the Punjab Assembly resolution, saying it went against the federal structure of the country.
12 years back too Punjab had brought similar water agreements termination Act and now Punjab Assembly had passed a new bill on SYL, "which is a politically-motivated move and against the federal structure", he said.
"If states start taking such decisions, then it will negatively impact the country," he said.
Taking a dig at Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, he said the CM's statement was made keeping an eye on next year's Punjab assembly elections. "That should not be the attitude when we talk of cooperative federalism."
"They cannot allow it to be built in defiance of the rights of the state over its river waters. As you are aware, the petition filed by the state government challenging Article 78 on Government of India's power to distribute water between the states is still pending before the Supreme Court.
"So the position of the state government and also of the House now is that unless a decision is taken on that petition, you cannot talk of the next step. It is like putting the cart before the horse," Bains said.