Badals missing in action, says Sunil Jakhar

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Meanwhile, the chief minister was back in action. Sources said he has returned from the US and was holding meetings with officials to handle the situation. Harcharan Bains, national adviser to the CM, said after a meeting with him, it has been decided that peace will be maintained in the state at all cost, nobody would be allowed to take the law in his hand and not a drop of water would be shared with anyone.

“We all know Badals and INLD leaders Chautalas have a personal relationship. They have common business interests. Why are raising the SYL issue at this juncture? Is there a sinister design by both the families to leave Punjab in a situation like this?” asked Jakhar. “The CM should have taken it up with the PM and made it clear that Punjab did not have a drop to share. But they seem to have left the state. It is their responsibility to maintain law and order,” he said.

Jakhar said Sukhbir was more eager in getting his water bus replaced but least bothered about law and order in the state. “He should realise where would he run the bus if there is no water in Harike? Today was the day when the state government should have taken it up with the Centre. Otherwise, when would they do it?” he asked. “When they could rush to take up the matter of foodgrain scam worth Rs 31,000 crore, why cannot they rush for SYL? It appears they have accepted defeat.”

Claiming that BJP was going to be wiped out in the Punjab Assembly election, the Congress leader said, “This would be a defeat at PM’s doorstep. They are trying to make state BJP president Vijay Sampla the scapegoat. It was because of the Prime Minister’s failure that the BJP vote in Punjab shifted to Congress.”