PHAGWARA: Commenting upon Haryana Assembly’s unanimous resolution condemning Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal for his recent remarks on the Sutlej Yamuna Link (SYL) canal issue, Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal today asserted that irrespective of any resolution, Punjab will not spare “even a drop” of its water for any other state.
Sukhbir, who is also the president of the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) in Punjab, said his party stood committed “to save the state’s waters and safeguard the interests of its people”.
“Even if Haryana adopts any kind of a resolution, we will not allow a drop of our water to flow into other states,” he said, endorsing his father’s stand on the issue.
“Punjab’s economy is agri-based and it cannot afford to compromise on its waters which are the lifeline of agriculture,” the deputy chief minister said.
He brushed aside the suggestion that a stiff Akali stance on the issue could affect its alliance with the BJP as Haryana was ruled by the saffron party.
“Our alliance with the BJP is rock solid. We will contest and win the upcoming Punjab polls together and form the government for a record third consecutive time,” Sukhbir said.
He claimed that the SAD-BJP combine will “sweep” the Punjab polls, while the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party or AAP will “lick the dust at the hustings”.
Addressing the gathering at a free eye and cancer check-up camp organised by a UK-based NRI, Sukhbir praised the contribution of NRIs, especially those who hailed from Doaba, in developing their native villages.
The Haryana Assembly had yesterday unanimously passed a resolution, condemning Parkash Singh Badal’s recent statement that Punjab or Punjabis will not accept any verdict against the interest of the state regarding river waters and were ever ready to make any sacrifice to safeguard their legitimate share to it.
He had said this while addressing a public gathering in Amritsar on November 1 on the occasion of the 50th year of Punjabi Suba celebrations, in the presence of Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and BJP chief Amit Shah.
PTI