Haryana assembly condemns Badal's statement on water sharing

The Haryana assembly on Friday condemned Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal's statement that if the Supreme Court verdict on river water sharing went against Punjab, then his (Badal's) government and Punjabis will not accept it.

At a special session called to mark the golden jubilee of the creation of Haryana, the assembly unanimously passed a resolution condemning Badal and his statement.

Badal, during a speech in Amritsar on Tuesday to mark the 50th anniversary of the Punjabi Suba, had categorically stated that he and his government would not accept the verdict of even the apex court if it went against the interests of Punjab.

He made it clear that Punjab will not spare even a single drop of water from its rivers for other states.

Haryana Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ram Bilas Sharma moved the resolution in the assembly on Friday and it was passed unanimously.

Haryana has a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government headed by Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar since October 2014. Punjab has a Shiromani Akali Dal-BJP alliance government since 2007.

Both states have been locked in a bitter battle over sharing of river waters, especially through the controversial Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) Canal.

The matter is pending before the Supreme Court, which has reserved its judgment on it.

The Punjab assembly, in 2004, had abrogated the water agreement with Haryana by passing a bill in the Punjab assembly. The Congress was in power in Punjab at that time.

The bill went to the President for assent and was referred to the Supreme Court after Haryana objected to it.

--IANS

js/in/bg