Punjab will not spare even one drop of water: Amarinder

Hitting out at the Badal government over the Supreme Court's ruling on the SYL issue, Punjab Congress chief Amarinder Singh today vowed to protect the last drop of the state's water.
Addressing a rally at Khuian Sarwar village near Abohar, the tail-end of Sutlej Yamuna Link (SYL) Canal, he asked SAD MLAs to quit the Assembly and said the state polls should be held next month itself to prevent Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal from further "vitiating" the atmosphere of the state.
He vowed to protect the "last drop" of Punjab's water, and declared "not a drop will be spared" till their "last breath".

On the Chief Minister's assertion that he (Badal) is ready to face the bullet in order to protect Punjab's water, Amarinder alleged that in 1984, Badal had made such claims but when the time came to fight for the state he went into hiding, leaving the people to fend for themselves.
He also alleged that the Chief Minister has "destroyed" the state out of "sheer personal greed" and cannot be allowed to remain in power.
Asserting that implementation of the SYL verdict will "finish off" the 2 lakh families and 2 lakh agricultural labourers who farm 10 lakh acres of land in the state, Amarinder alleged that SAD had 10 years to battle the case in the court effectively but failed to do anything.

"They (SAD) were only interested in creation of Punjabi Suba in order to rule a Sikh-dominated region for their vested interests," he alleged.

"Why did Badal not tell the court that Punjab had no water to spare, with all the glaciers having melted," the state Congress chief asked and reiterated his demand for the establishment of a new tribunal to assess the quantum of water available with the state.
Referring to the controversial Clause 5 of the Punjab Termination of Agreements Act, Amarinder alleged Badal is misleading the state on the issue by making fraudulent claims on scrapping it.
He accused Badal of playing with the sentiments of the people and alleged that removal of the clause would not be acceptable to the BJP-led Central government, of which SAD is a part.

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Amarinder also lashed out at Aam Aadmi Party's (AAP) national convener and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for allegedly failing to clarify, even three days after the SYL verdict, whether or not he stands with Punjab on this vital issue.
"His silence is deliberate as he has his eyes on the chief ministership of Punjab, while also trying desperately to protect his interests in Delhi and Haryana," the Punjab Congress chief claimed.
Questioning the rationale behind the border evacuations carried out in the wake of surgical strikes to eliminate terror camps across the LoC, Amarinder claimed it was done by Badal to please his ally BJP.

He alleged that the Badal government has plunged the farming community into crisis while filling its own coffers.
Amarinder also hit out at the Centre for allegedly pushing the people to the verge of disaster as a result of its "ill-planned demonetisation move", which, he claimed, has left people, mainly the poor and daily wagers, suffering, while the actual culprits had been "warned in advance" so they could go scot-free.
Referring to the One Rank One Pension (OROP) agitation, he alleged, "The centre seems to be engaged in destroying the lives of the common people.