"It was high time to make 'supreme sacrifices' rather than allowing the construction of SYL canal as it would divest people of Punjab," Parkash Singh Badal said. (File photo)
Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today said the construction of Sutlej Yamuna Link (SYL) canal would not be "allowed at any cost and under any circumstance" and asked the people to be prepared for tough battle ahead to safeguard river waters of the state.
It was high time to make "supreme sacrifices" rather than allowing the construction of SYL canal as it would divest people of Punjab of their legitimate rights over river waters, in "blatant violation" of the nationally and internationally accepted Riparian principle, Mr Badal said.
Addressing a gathering during religious congregation to mark the commemoration of historic 'Hola Mohalla', Mr Badal appealed to Punjabis to prepare themselves for tough battles ahead for the purpose.
The Chief Minister said he had recently declared to safeguard the river waters of the state at any cost in accordance with the Riparian principles in the august house of Punjab Vidhan Sabha.
He declared that decisions aimed at "robbing" the state and its people of their "rights" would never be accepted to him and SAD-BJP alliance.
Mr Badal expressed gratitude to the state BJP leadership especially Cabinet Minister Madan Mohan Mittal and state BJP Chief Kamal Sharma, who had fully supported the state's cause for river waters.
Recalling the long ordeal of Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) for waging a relentless battle to protect the interests of the state, the Chief Minister assailed the Congress for "depriving the state of its genuine rights" especially related to river waters during their successive governments at the Centre.
Mr Badal said the then Chief Minister of Congress Darbara Singh along with Captain Amarinder Singh, who was lawmaker at that time, accompanied the Prime Minister Indira Gandhi for performing earth breaking ceremony of the SYL Canal, at Kapoori in 1982 Referring to Punjab Termination of Agreements Act 2004, which Congressmen claimed as their major contribution, the Chief Minister said all the agreements which were terminated through this Act, were done by Congress governments.
"Thus the Act was a mere admission of guilt by the Congress government headed by Captain Amarinder Singh. This Termination Act terminated nothing but the agreements signed by the Congress governments alone themselves" he said. He claimed the passage of this agreement was in fact an "unintentional admission of guilt" by the Congress government.