Oppn running away from debate because they looted Punjab: AAP's Cheema

A week, after Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann extended an "open invitation" to all the opposition parties for "live debate on all issues", Punjab Finance Minister and AAP leader Harpal Singh Cheema, said that the parties were running away from the debate because they looted Punjab for the past 75 years.

Speaking to ANI on Chief Minister Mann's debate challenge to the opposition parties, the AAP leader said, "The opposition parties spread some or the other lies every day. Against that, CM Mann asked them to come on November 1 for an open debate but they are running away from that debate."

"Be it the BJP, Akali Dal or the Congress party, they all are running away from this debate because they have ruined Punjab. For the past 70-75 years, either Akali Dal, BJP or Congress has been in power in Punjab, and these parties have looted Punjab a lot," said the leader.

The finance minister also took a jab at the opposition parties on the state's drug issues and said, "It is under the governance of the BJP, Congress and Akali Dal that drugs were spread in Punjab. We are trying to eradicate drugs from Punjab. They are looking for excuses to run away from the debate because they have nothing to say. CM Mann has everything documented and he will show how these people have destroyed Punjab," he further added.

Amid the tussle on SYL (Satluj Yamuna Link) Canal, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on October 8 extended an "open invitation" to the Opposition parties including Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Shirmoani Akaldi Dal and Congress for a "live debate on all issues" instead of "daily bickering".

"It is my open invitation to BJP chief Jakhar ji, Akali Dal's Sukhbir Singh Badal and Congress's Raja Wadding-Pratap Bajwa ji that instead of daily bickering, come once and sit in front of the media and discuss who looted Punjab and how... brother-nephew, brother-in-law, friends-relatives, youth-farmers, businesses-shopkeepers, speeches of Gurus, Canal waters... Let's do a live debate on all issues," CM Mann said in a post in Hindi on X.

He further said, "You can bring a paper with you but I will speak by word of mouth. November 1 'Punjab Day' will be a good day, you will also get time for preparation. I am fully prepared because there is no need to memorize things to speak the truth."

After the Supreme Court came heavily on the Punjab government for not taking steps for the construction of the canal, the Opposition parties have been protesting against the same demanding immediate action.

Earlier last week, Shirmoani Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal said that his party would protest at Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann's residence on October 10 while BJP state president Sunil Jhakkar alleged that Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) under the leadership of Bhagwant Mann has done a huge deception with Punjab.

However, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar said that the bordering state will have to change its attitude according to the directions of the top court.

On October 4, a bench of justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul CT Ravikumar and Sudhanshu Dhulia, while hearing a matter relating to the Sutlej-Yamuna link (SYL) canal dispute, came down heavily on the Punjab government for not taking steps for the construction of the canal. The court remarked that Punjab has to cooperate in the process.

The court directed the Centre to survey the portion of the land allocated to Punjab. The court also directed the Centre to look into the mediation process. The court listed the matter for further hearing in January 2024.

The apex court was hearing the SYL canal dispute between Haryana and Punjab.

On July 28, 2020, the top court asked the Chief Ministers of Punjab and Haryana to make an attempt to resolve the issue amicably.

The problem stems from the controversial 1981 water-sharing agreement after Haryana was formed out of Punjab in 1966. For effective allocation of water, the SYL canal was to be constructed and the two states were required to construct their portions within their territories.

While Haryana constructed its portion of the canal, after the initial phase, Punjab stopped the work, leading to multiple cases.

In 2004, the Punjab government had passed a law unilaterally cancelling the SYL agreement and other such pacts, however, in 2016, the apex court had struck down this law. Later, Punjab went ahead and returned the acquired land--on which the canal was to be constructed--to the landowners.