Badal ask people of Punjab to unite against construction of

Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today asked the people of Punjab to unite and intensify the struggle against the construction of the Sutlej Yamuna Link canal as construction of SYL would "ruin" the state.
Addressing a gathering here during a religious congregation to mark the Baisakhi festival, Badal said the people of the state have to wage relentless battle against Congress and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), who were "hell bent upon snatching" the river waters of the state.
He alleged the Congress and AAP were both the enemies of the state and were hand in glove with each other to deprive Punjab of its water by constructing SYL canal.

Badal claimed that the AAP government in Delhi in its affidavit has termed the stand taken by Punjab on SYL canal as "unconstitutional and anti-national".
The Chief Minister said that it was a fact that as per universally accepted Riparian principle of water sharing, Punjab was the only rightful owner of river waters of the state and Punjab has no single drop of water to share with any other state.
He alleged that Congress has divested the state of its rights by giving water to Rajasthan, Haryana and other states by signing the various water agreements.

The Chief Minister said Punjab would be "ruined" if SYL canal was constructed as water was the only lifetime of the state.

He said that water was basic ingredient of life and any such move to share the river waters of the state would be disastrous as it would ruin Punjab.
"We are opposed to the construction of canal because it is a direct assault on the food security of the state and Sikh panth.
"So no Punjabi will ever tolerate this grave injustice against the state," he added.
Listing the major achievements of his government, Badal said that during the past nine years the state government has provided free power to farmers worth Rs 28000 crore.
He said the state government has started first of its kind scheme to provide interest free crop loans worth Rs 50,000 to the farmers.

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Meanwhile in Fazilka, Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal lashed out at AAP and Congress and described them as "forces inimical" to the interests of Punjab.
The politics being practised by the likes of AAP and Congress is centred solely on acquiring power for which they are even ready to destroy the social fabric of the state, he alleged.
During a Sangat Darshan programme of 60 panchayats of Fazilka area, Badal said the SAD-BJP government has made the state power surplus, improved the road infrastructure and implemented various welfare schemes successfully to ensure the living standard of the people is uplifted.

Branding Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal as a person "ignorant of the history, culture and traditions" of Punjab, Badal alleged that he was trying to vitiate the state's atmosphere and defame it.
He suggested that the AAP convener better forget about forming government in Punjab and instead concentrate his energies on improving Delhi.
On reports of Congress seeking written undertaking from those hoping for party tickets in the 2017 assembly elections, Badal said it amply proved that Congressmen don't trust each other and in such a condition what good would PPCC chief Amarinder Singh do for the state.