Terming the announcement of state Congress Chief Captain Amarinder Singh regarding resignation in case of any adverse judgment on Satluj Yamuna Link (SYL) canal as a political gimmick, the Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today asked the Lok Sabha MP that why he had not resigned when the then Prime Minister Mrs Indira Gandhi had laid the foundation of this canal to rob waters of state.Addressing the public gathering during Sangat Darshan in Bhadaur assembly segment, the Chief Minister said that the people who were the perpetrators of this grave conspiracy against Punjab and its people were now trying to attain status of martyr by merely shedding an ounce of blood. He reminded Captain that at time when the former Chief Minister along with other top leaders of Congress were welcoming Mrs. Gandhi for laying foundation stone of SYL in 1980’s the entire Akali leadership was courting arrest for safeguarding interests of state. “Captain can't just run away from the onus of being hand in glove in a conspiracy to deprive the state of its people”, he added.Assailing the state Congress Chief for misleading the people on Satluj Yamuna Link canal issue, the Chief Minister said that people of state would never forgive him and his party for this grave injustice with state. Mr. Badal dared the state Congress Chief that rather than misleading the people he must tell the people that it was Congress, which was now headed by him, which had planned, executed and dug this canal. “Every Congressman from state was a part and parcel to this conspiracy and Amarinder was not an exception to it”, added Mr Badal.
The Chief Minister said that as few months were left for the state assembly elections so Captain has announced this resignation drama but this would not wash away the sins of his party. He said that the people of state must rest assured as Shiromani Akali Dal would make every sacrifice to protect the waters of state. “We had, we are and we will not allow any single drop of water to go to any other state” added Mr. Badal. The Chief Minister said that even the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) was following the footprints of Congress by adopting anti Punjab stance. He said that affidavit by Delhi government headed by AAP in Supreme Court on SYL issue termed Punjab' s stand on issue as unconstitutional and anti - national. Mr. Badal said that Kejriwal government had submitted in the court that this stance of Punjab could disintegrate the nation. He said that as Mr. Arvind Kejriwal hailed from Haryana so he was naturally inclined towards safeguarding the interests of his state. “Kejriwal has no affection with Punjab or its people and his sole intention was to wrest political power in the state to benefit his native state Haryana” added Mr. Badal. Listing the major initiatives taken by the state government during Sangat Darshan in village Pakho Kalan, Pandher and Kaaleke, the Chief Minister said that the state government was providing free power to farmers worth Rs 5000 crore every year.
He further said that the alliance government has decided to double the pensions given to people under the social security schemes besides hiking the honorarium of the Nambardars. Mr. Badal said that the state government has started first of its kind scheme to provide interest free crop loans worth Rs 50000 to the farmers. He further said that in another historic decision it has been decided that all the farmers would be provided a health insurance cover of Rs.50,000 and an insurance of Rs.5 lac in case of accidental death or incapacitation of head of family.Earlier in his address, former Principal Secretary to Chief Minister and senior Akali leader Mr. Darbara Singh Guru, while welcoming Chief Minister, thanked him for sparing his valuable time to hold Sangat Darshan in Bhadaur assembly segment. He said that this unique endeavor of Mr. Badal would give further fillip to overall development of segment. The Chief Minister was accompanied by senior Akali leader Mr. Darbara Singh Guru, MLA Bhai Gobind Singh Longowal, his Special Principal Secretary Mr. KJS Cheema, Deputy Commissioner Mr. Bhupinder Singh Rai and Senior Superintendent of Police Dr Gurpreet Singh Toor.