Yamuna does not belong to Haryana but the entire country and giving water to the city was not a "favour" by some minister, Delhi Water Minister Kapil Mishra today said, hitting back at Haryana Agriculture Minister O P Dhankar.
Mishra's reaction came a day after Dhankar attacked Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for opposing SYL canal construction, saying Haryana will not be able to deliver water to Delhi and asked him to get "your own canal constructed" for carrying Delhi's share of water.
The Delhi Minister said Dhankar does not have "understanding of laws".
"Haryana minister perhaps has not read the Constitution. Secondly, he does not have the understanding of laws and third, he is not aware about the dignity of his post.
"Delhi is not getting water because some minister is doing a favour to us. Delhi is getting water because the Supreme Court has ordered. Yamuna doesn't belong to Haryana but to the entire country," Mishra said.
In a letter to Kejriwal, Dhankar had said that seeing his stand (opposing the construction of SYL canal in Punjab) Haryana will not be able to deliver the share of water in Delhi since he had stood against the interests of the farmers and people of Haryana.
Terming Kejriwal's stand as "wrong", Dhankar said he had opposed the proposed canal for "political benefits" in Punjab.
"For Delhi's needs of water you may take the trouble of getting your own canal constructed from Nangal Dam and Tajewala Headwork's (Yamunanagar) so that Delhi's share of water reaches the national capital with your efforts," Dhankar had written in his letter to Delhi Chief Minister.
