SYL issue: Cong, SAD failed to protect Pb's interest, says AAP

Hitting out at the Congress and the ruling SAD after the Supreme court verdict on SYL canal issue, the Aam Aadmi Party today alleged that both the parties had failed to protect the interest of Punjab.
The party announced it will launch an indefinite dharna at Kapoori in Patiala from tomorrow. It said Punjab does not have any water to share with the neighbouring state.
The apex court today held as "unconstitutional" the 2004 law passed by Punjab government to terminate the SYL canal water sharing agreement with neighbouring states.
"The SAD and Congress have failed to protect the interest of Punjab on river water issue," AAP leader H S Phoolka said.

AAP demanded that the Parkash Singh Badal-led government should resign as the ruling party has failed to protect the interest of the state.
"Badal government could have forced the Centre to withdraw the notification issued by the then union government in 1976 which stated that SYL be constructed to give water to Haryana," he said.

Phoolka also described the resignation of Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh from Lok Sabha as "mere drama".
"There is no meaning of resignation by Amarinder as it was the Congress-led government at the Centre which had decided to get the SYL canal constructed," he said.

"If Amarinder is really serious about state's interest he should resign from the Congress party," he said.
In 1982, the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi had inaugurated the digging of SYL canal at Kapoori in Patiala and at that time Amarinder was also present, Phoolka said.
Phoolka, who is a senior lawyer, said that the apex could have just given its opinion. "It is not a law and it is not binding," he claimed.
Talking about the next course of action of the party, he said that AAP leaders would hold dharna for indefinite period at Kapoori in Patiala.
(REOPENS NRG35)

Addressing a press conference, AAP leaders Gurpreet Singh Waraich, Sanjay Singh, Jarnail Singh and H S Phoolka said Amarinder should also resign from Congress and all Rajya Sabha members of the party from Punjab should also resign over the issue.
Waraich said Akalis must end political ties with BJP and Harsimrat Badal should resign from the Modi government.
"Whatever is the opinion of the Supreme Court, it is not binding on Punjab and it does not automatically invalidate the Punjab Termination of Agreements Act, 2004, which remains valid," said Phoolka.
The water crisis in Punjab is a creation of the then India Gandhi government and SAD was also "hand in glove" with Congress to keep the interests of Punjab's farmers at stake, he alleged.

During the Emergency, Indira Gandhi passed an order which denied Punjab of its rights on its own river's water, Phoolka said, adding a notification was passed on March 24, 1976 by the Central government sanctioning "this injustice".
After the change of government, the order was challenged by the Punjab government in the Supreme Court, but when Gandhi returned to power and Punjab also had a Congress-led government, she pressurized the then Chief Minister Darbara Singh to withdraw the case.
In 1982, a compromise was reached and the SYL accord was signed in which again Punjab's interest was negated, AAP leaders alleged.

As SAD is an alliance partner in the Modi government, Badal must use his influence to protect the interests of Punjab or severe ties with BJP.