The attitude and role of BJP-JJP govt regarding SYL is negative: Hooda

Chandigarh: Former Chief Minister and Leader of Opposition Bhupinder Singh Hooda has stated that the SYL case is stuck till date due to the negative attitude of the state BJP and the BJP-JJP government.

Reacting to the observations made by the Supreme Court, Hooda said nothing has happened despite a clear verdict by the apex court in 2017. ‘The Supreme Court had given a clear verdict in favour of Haryana in February 2017 itself. After this, the Supreme Court gave clear instructions to Punjab, Haryana and Central Government in July 2020. After the court’s decision, all the parties of Haryana also met the President. At the same time, Congress had also suggested the state government to seek a meeting with the Prime Minister with an all-party delegation. The government had asked for time from the Prime Minister, but till date nothing like this has happened,’ he said.

‘Congress has repeatedly said that the Punjab government is disregarding the decision of the Supreme Court, but the Haryana government kept wasting time by holding inconclusive meetings. Now the Supreme Court has once again reiterated its decision. But surprisingly, ignoring the issue of taking Haryana’s rightful share of water, the Chief Minister is considering it only as a matter of canal construction,’ he said.

‘SYL water is the right of Haryana and it is very important for the agriculture of the state. The government should take this issue seriously. Irrigation will be possible on more than 10 lakh acres of land in the state, when this water becomes available for the state,’ he said.

Hooda said that Haryana Congress has fought for the rights of the state, from the courts, to every platform. The Congress government strongly presented Haryana’s case in the court, due to which the court’s decision came in favor of the state, but the BJP government did not take any steps to implement it.

‘There is often a debate between different political parties in the state as to how much work was done to build SYL under which party’s government, but BJP is the only government in the history of Haryana, in whose term the SYL canal built in Punjab was closed, instead of moving forward. The role of BJP and BJP-JJP government has been negative in providing Haryana its rightful water, till now,’ he further said. Hooda said that there are three major sources of water for irrigation in Haryana. First from Yamuna, second from Bhakra whose entire water was to come from SYL and third from underground water.