Farmers Movement Archive

BJP raising SYL only to divide Pb, Hry farmers, says Abhay

Chandigarh: Senior INLD leader and Ellenabad MLA Abhay Singh Chautala said instead of staging drama by holding fast on SYL, if the BJP starts implementing the SC verdict to provide Haryana’s share on SYL water, his party would help them block the boundaries of Punjab. “Let the government take the decision today. We will support them till the time we do not get our rightful share of water. We will not allow anyone to enter through Haryana’s borders with Punjab,” Abhay told the medipersons at his Chandigarh residence. Abhay, however, said despite being in power for the past six years, BJP has never shown any seriousness on the SYL issue. He said amid the protests of farmers against the Centre’s new farm laws, the state BJP leadership was raising the SYL issue only to divide the farmers of both the states, but the same is not going to happen. Farmers would make the Centre repeal the agriculture laws, he added. “Had the chief minister been so concerned on the water issue, why would he allow his government to scrap Dadupur Nalvi canal project, on which Rs 340 crore had already been spent and which would have been beneficial to help irrigate lands in Ambala, Kurukshetra and Yamunanagar,” Abhay said. The senior leader also questioned why Haryana BJP president O P Dhankar, who was the agriculture minister in the previous term of the Khattar government, did not show concern on SYL then. “Earlier, when we used to raise the SYL issue, they would say that the matter was pending before the Supreme Court. But now when the apex court has ruled in our favour, why is this government doing drama of fast,” he added.

The Times of India

2020-12-23

Chandigarh