Police resorted to using water cannons to disperse the agitating members of Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) here, as they were marching towards Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s residence to hold what they termed a ‘debate’ on the issue of Sutlej Yamuna Link (SYL) canal - the focal point of a water-sharing dispute between Haryana and Punjab.
Mr. Mann had recently challenged the opposition parties including the Congress, the Shiromani Akali Dal and the Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) for an open debate on issues pertaining to the State amid opposition parties’ criticism of the Aam Aadmi Party government’s stand surrounding the construction of SYL canal.
SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal said “The Chief Minister challenged me to a debate on the SYL which I accepted and even announced that I would come to his residence today to debate all facets of the case. I thought the Chief Minister would receive us in the same manner in which former Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal used to meet protesters coming to his residence, but he chose to flee to Madhya Pradesh with Arvind Kejriwal rather than facing me and the SAD.”
Mr. Badal alleged that AAP has compromised Punjab’s interests, and the government during the proceeding in the Supreme Court had stated that it was ready to build the canal. AAP leaders have meanwhile accused Opposition parties of misleading people of the State over the SYL issue and had asserted that not even a single drop of water will be allowed to be shared with any other State.
The police said water cannons were used to disperse the crowd after they attempted to forcefully break barricades while attempting to march towards the Chief Minister’s official residence.
The Supreme Court recently asked the Union government to conduct a survey in Punjab about the land that was assigned for the construction of the SYL canal, which triggered a political uproar in Punjab. Farmer unions and political parties have been opposing any sought of a survey by the central government.
