Leaders target Arvind Kejriwal over SYL remark
Demand review or immediate stoppage of Haryana’s supply of water to Delhi
Aam Aadmi Party National Convener & Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal during a rally of upcoming Punjab assembly elections. (PTI Photo)
POLITICAL PARTIES in Haryana were up in arms over Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s statement that “water of Punjab won’t go outside the state as the state has no water to spare”. Leaders, cutting across party lines, have demanded that the supply of water to Delhi from Haryana be reviewed or stopped completely.
Kejriwal had made the statement at a public meeting in Ludhiana on Sunday. Both the Congress and the SAD-BJP have been questioning Kejriwal’s stand on the issue. Punjab and Haryana have been involved in a long-standing dispute over the sharing of water. The Supreme Court had recently declared unconstitutional a law enacted by the Punjab government to wriggle out of its liability to construct the Sutlej-Yamuna Link canal. The Punjab government refused to accept the decision. Delegations from both Punjab and Haryana have met President Pranab Mukherjee on the issue.
Leader of Opposition in the Haryana Assembly and Indian National Lok Dal leader Abhay Singh Chautala said, “It only shows the weakness of the Haryana CM Arvind Kejriwal when he says that Punjab has no water to spare and there is no reaction from him. The government should take a decision to stop supply of water to Delhi immediately. No one should dare to say such things against Haryana. It seems both the BJP and Congress are agreeing with him.”
Haryana was allocated 3.5 MAF (million acre feet) water from Nangal dam and Delhi 0.2 MAF. Haryana supplies water to Delhi through Bhakra Main Line canal from Nangal which reaches the capital through Narwana Branch Canal. Haryana also gives Delhi a share of water from Yamuna that reaches the capital through Western Yamuna Canal.
AICC communications in-charge and Kaithal MLA Randeep Surjewala said, “Is it correct that Mr Kejriwal is forgoing Delhi’s share of water? If that be so, then why should Delhi continue to draw extra water out of Haryana’s share. Since he is anyways forgoing Delhi’s share in favour of Punjab, even Haryana should consider that the extra water that Haryana gives to Delhi as the national capital needs to be reviewed. It is a great injustice to people of Delhi whose water he has foregone after becoming their chief minister with an overwhelming majority.”
Surjewala added, “It is also a betrayal with Haryana which he considers his home state and cites often to gain sympathy of the people of Haryana. His true colours are now out for both people of Delhi and Haryana to judge. I am pretty sure he will similarly ditch people of Punjab after the Punjab elections.”
Haryana Agriculture Minister O P Dhankar termed Kejriwal an “irresponsible leader”. “By making such statements, he is provoking the people of Haryana. The way people in Punjab broke the SYL, if a similar thing happens at Munak or if people sit on protest there, from where will Delhi get its share of water? The Delhi CM is an irresponsible person who is trying to create chaos. Kejriwal has no responsibility to the people of Delhi or his birthplace Haryana. He is also going against the SC order. Aise insaan ko Haryana mein moorkh kehte hain (Such a person is termed foolish in Haryana). Haryana is only seeking its rightful share of water from Punjab,” said Dhankar.
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