Haryana Health minister Anil Vij today attacked Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, alleging his remarks that Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal issue could revive militancy in that state were "encouraging terrorist ideology".
Making it clear that Haryana will not back down until it gets its share of Ravi-Beas waters through SYL canal, he accused the Punjab CM of committing "a contempt of the Supreme Court".
Singh had yesterday warned that the construction of the SYL canal to provide water to Haryana could trigger revival of militancy in Punjab.
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The Chief Minister was speaking at the launch of a news channel here.
Asserting that any move to deprive the people of Punjab of their water rights could lead to the revival of militancy in the state, which it had witnessed in the 1980s and the early 1990s, he had said that 'Amarinder rahe na rahe' (whether Amarinder is there or not), SYL will become a national problem if the final judgement goes against Punjab.
"The main issue for the people of Haryana pertains to bringing the Ravi-Beas waters through SYL canal. The statement made by Amarinder Singh here yesterday was clearly a contempt of the Supreme Court," Vij told reporters here.
"Amarinder Singh is also encouraging terrorist ideology through his statements which is not good for Punjab," he said.
Singh, Lok Sabha MP from Amritsar, had resigned last year on the SYL issue after the Supreme Court ruling on a Presidential Reference on sharing of river waters with Haryana.
The Supreme Court on November 10 last year held as "unconstitutional" the 2004 law passed by the Punjab assembly which was intended to deny Haryana its share in the river waters through the SYL canal.
Singh was the Chief Minister when the Punjab assembly passed the Punjab Termination of Water Agreements Act, 2004.
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