Water issue: Badal asks people to prepare for long fight

Raising the political pitch on Sutlej-Yamuna Link canal issue, Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today virtually ruled out sharing of water with Haryana and asked the people of the state to prepare for a long democratic and peaceful fight for justice.
"Punjab does not have a drop of water to spare and there is no question of our accepting or implementing any decision which deprives us of our fundamental right under the riparian principle," he said.
"It's time to prepare for supreme sacrifices for the cause of our state and the future of our children," he said as the festering row between Punjab and Haryana over sharing of the Ravi-Beas waters escalated.

Badal made these remarks while winding up debate on the Motion of Thanks on Governor's Address.
He said he was prepared to shed the last drop of his blood rather than allowing a single drop of water to flow out of the state in violation of laws of justice and fair play.
In an impassioned plea, the Chief Minister invoked history and religious heritage to emphasise that it was unrealistic to expect justice without being ready for make sacrifices for securing it.

"Do not take justice for granted. Justice does not drop into the lap of the sleeping and the lazy. You have to wake up and fight for it," he said.

Earlier in the day, Punjab Assembly passed a bill against construction of contentious Sutlej Yamuna Link (SYL) canal, sparking an immediate adoption of a resolution by Haryana Assembly condemning the other state's move as "unconstitutional".
The Chief Minister alleged that the present agony of Punjab was rooted in "serial acts of discrimination and brazen injustice" by successive Congress governments at the Centre and its "meek and submissive surrender" of Punjab's rights by the state governments led by the party.
"The need for de-notification of land acquisition would not have arisen if (the then chief minister) Captain Amarinder Singh had done it in 2004 as a part of the Termination of Agreements Act. Why he did not do so and let down the farmers of the state?" Badal said.

Joining issue with Congress leaders who sought to justify Congress' stand by supporting today's motion on waiving all compensation from farmers for SYL land, Badal asked "if you think it is being done because of your stand, may I ask you what were you doing when you were in government? Why did not you not do it in the long years when you were in power here?"
The Chief Minister said that water issue was not merely restricted to peasantry but every section of the society was affected by it.
He said that there would be no agriculture without water and without agriculture there would be no trade and industry.

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The Chief Minister said the Governor's "historic address" was a "picture of rapid progress and development and glimpse of golden future of Punjab".
The Chief Minister said that the result of Khadoor Sahib bypoll was not "merely a referendum" rather it was a prophecy with regard to the trend for forthcoming state assembly polls.
Badal's SAD won the bypoll.
Badal said he was saddened over the boycott by opposition of this bypoll in view of its "inevitable defeat".
"Every year, people of Punjab have reposed faith in the policy and programme of the government," Badal said.
On the issue of peace and communal harmony, the Chief Minister said that this was the highest priority of the SAD-BJP alliance government and Punjab was the most peaceful state in the country.

"We inherited the spirit of peace, communal harmony, secularism and socialism from our great Gurus, saints, prophets and seers," he said.
The Chief Minister said Punjab has been facing unending saga of injustice and tyranny since Independence.
The then Prime Minister didn't fulfil his solemn commitment made in Parliament to transfer Chandigarh to Punjab as it was cancelled at the last minute on January 26, 1986.
Likewise, boundary Commission to transfer left out Punjabi speaking areas was never set up.
The Chief Minister also decried "the brutal injustice and repression meted out to the tragic victims of the 1984 Sikh carnage".

The Chief Minister said that federal structure was the only legitimate and viable answer to the problems of a country which was land of many religions, languages and cultures.
The Chief Minister said that for the first time, the Centre has undertaken a historic initiative to federalise of the Indian polity and empower the states.
"The Planning Commission... Has been replaced by NITI Ayog. Now Chief Ministers would be part and parcel of policy formulation," he said.
He also welcomed the move to include Ludhiana in smart city project, besides inclusion of 16 other towns in AMRUT scheme.
Badal also lauded the efforts to provide Rail connectivity between Mohali and Rajpura, besides financial allocation for Patti-Ferozepur Railway link.

The Chief Minister also highlighted the major achievements of the state government in the field of agriculture, animal husbandry and dairy development and fisheries, cooperation, forest, health and medical education, higher education, housing, industry, irrigation, labour, law and order, local government, power, PWD, school education, tourism and culture, and water supply.