Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today said that with conferring the ownership rights of the land acquired for the Satluj Yamuna Link (SYL) canal to its original owners and their lineal descendants after its de-notification has put this contentious issue in wraps forever.Addressing the massive ‘Paani Bachao, Punjab Bachao’ rally here today, the Chief Minister reiterated that Punjab neither has spare water to share with anyone, nor any need for the construction of SYL canal and nobody would be allowed to construct this canal in future. He said that with the historic initiative of the state government now this issue was dead for all times to come. “I firmly resolve that we don’t have spare water to share with anyone and what was within our jurisdiction, we did the best within the legal framework to safeguard the interests of the state” added Mr. Badal.Making a frontal attack on the Congress leadership for betraying Punjab and Punjabis just to satiate their lust for power, the Chief Minister said that Captain Amarinder Singh who was now trying to become a martyr by smearing blood on his little finger and showing lip sympathy with the people on the SYL issue, was the prime conspirator along with the then Congress high Command and Prime Minister Mrs. Indira Gandhi, who performed the ground breaking ceremony of SYL at village Kapoori in Punjab way back in 1982.
On the contrary, he said that the Akali Dal from day one vehemently opposed the construction of SYL by launching state wide morchas.Describing the resignation by Captain Amarinder Singh as a mere political stunt, the Chief Minister said that the resignation drama was aimed at deriving political benefit from this sensitive issue rather than safeguarding the interests of the state. Mr. Badal said that Congress leadership was totally insincere on this emotive issue concerning every Punjabi. “Had we buckled under pressure from state Congress leadership to submit resignation then they would have been succeeded in their ulterior motive to pave a way for the construction of this canal. Since we acted smartly in convening a special session of Vidhan Sabha, which was boycotted by Congress, and subsequently got the entire land acquired for SYL denotified in the Cabinet” he added.The Chief Minister said the Congress had always betrayed Punjab and its people on every issue, be it political, economic or religious. He said that even the issue of SYL was an outcome of Congress Party’s’ apathetic attitude towards Punjab.The Chief Minister further said that water was basic ingredient of life and any such move to share the river waters of the state would be disastrous as it would ruin Punjab. He said that while signing the agreement of the SYL canal the then Congress government at the Centre blatantly ignored the universally accepted Riparian Principle on river water sharing. “Every Punjabi is duty bound to oppose this move and all of us should pledge to protect the waters of the state at any cost” added Mr. Badal.The Chief Minister recalled the enormous contribution of Punjabis in making the country self-sufficient in food grains besides acting as sword arm of the country. However, he said that the successive Centre governments led by Congress has not recognized the immense contribution of Punjabis and inflicted a severe blow to economy of state by meting out step motherly treatment to the state. Taking the Congress party to cudgels, Mr. Badal said that the Punjabis could never forgive the Congress party for its sins committed against Punjab.
Terming the Congress and Aam Aadmi Party as anti - poor, the Chief Minister cautioned the people that if voted to power both of these parties would discontinue the several pro-people schemes and subsidies being currently given to people. Mr. Badal said that it was on record that the SAD-BJP alliance government was only political party in the state, which was not only pro-poor but also a true custodian of the rights of Punjab and Punjabis.Listing the major pro-people initiatives taken by the state government, the Chief Minister said that the SAD-BJP alliance government has supplied free power to the farmers of the state at a cost of Rs 5000 crore annually to bail them out from agrarian crisis. He further said that Punjab was the only state in the country to provide Atta-Dal scheme to the weaker sections adding that it was also the only state to ensure free treatment for fatal diseases like Cancer and Hepatitis C. Mr. Badal said that due to concerted efforts of the state government Punjab was today a leading state in Health and Education sector.Seeking unflinching support and cooperation from the people in favor of SAD-BJP alliance during the ensuing assembly polls, the Chief Minister appealed them not to be swayed by the false propaganda of the opposition, whose ultimate goal was to satiate their lust for power not to serve the people with missionary zeal like us. He further said that another chance to the SAD-BJP alliance government would help the incumbent government to accomplish its unfinished agenda of overall development and prosperity in the state to emerge Punjab as a front runner state in the country.
Earlier in his address, the Punjab Deputy Chief Minister, S. Sukhbir Singh Badal today gave a clarion call to the people of the state for ‘Congress tey Topiwale bhajao, Punjab bachao’. He also said that he is ready for any sacrifice but not a single drop of water would be allowed to go outside the state and the SAD-BJP government as the custodians of the rights of people is fully committed to ensure this. He said that the SAD-BJP government has always been development oriented as is evident from the various progressive steps undertaken which are aimed at the welfare of all the sections of society.He also said that as part of the futuristic vision, all the water channels would be concretized, 5 lakh houses would be constructed for the people belonging to poor echelons of society, 1.50 lakh more jobs would be created and in next 5 years rural areas would be developed on pattern of urban areas and all the more than 12000 villages of the state would get solar lights, sewerage and clean water supply facilities at a cost of more than Rs. 30,000 crore .Terming river waters as the lifeline of Punjab, he said that lakhs of forms would be signed by the farmers which would be sent to the President of the country in the form of a petition that without river waters the soil of Punjab would turn into a desert thus sounding a death knell for the farming sector in the state.
Taking on Congress, the Deputy Chief Minister said that it has only indulged in looting the resources of the state rather than concentrating its energies on development. He also said that Gandhi family is a sworn enemy of the Sikhs and Punjabis which is clear from the fact that it attacked Sri Harmandir Sahib and was responsible for the massacre of Sikhs in 1984. He also divulged that this family was instrumental in snatching river waters of Punjab and giving these away to other states in which Captain Amarinder Singh played a key role by welcoming Indira Gandhi at Kapoori in 1982. Disclosing more, he said that not stopping at this, the scion of Gandhi family Rahul Gandhi unleashed a malicious campaign against Punjab and branded its youth as drug addicts but the recent police recruitments yielded very negligible dope positive results thus proving to be a tight slap on the face of this family.Attacking AAP, the Deputy Chief Minister said that this party wants to use Punjab as a tool to keep the pot of confrontation with the central government boiling for meeting its narrow political ends. He asked AAP Convenor and Delhi Chief Minister, Arvind Kejriwal to explain his accomplishments in Delhi before eyeing Punjab. He questioned kejriwal as to what the latter has done for the farmers in Delhi and how many jobs he had provided to the un-employed youth there. The Deputy Chief Minister said that if both Congress and AAP have any tinge of morality left then they should apologize to the people of Punjab.
Raising the developmental plank, the Deputy Chief Minister said that only the SAD-BJP government under the leadership of the Chief Minister, S. Parkash Singh Badal has initiated and implemented measures for the benefit of all sections of society. Diivulging further, he said that the game changing initiatives of the state government include surplus power status to Punjab with cheapest power , interest free loans for farmers upto Rs. 50000 from the Co-operative banks, Creation of sports infrastructure the prime example being Punjab Institute of Sports (PIS) in Mohali where budding players are trained, excellent road infrastructure, observance of religious days of all religions, Construction of memorials belonging to every religion for e.g.- Guru Ravidass memorial at Khuralgarh (Hoshiarpur), Bhagwan Valmiki Ji Sthal in Ramtirath (Amritsar) at a cost of Rs. 200 crore , opening of skill centers with permission granted by the Union government to open 1000 more such centers resulting in employment avenues for youth of state, 2.50 lakh jobs, shagan scheme, atta-dal scheme, free power to the farmers, free power worth 200 units to SC-BC households, free health insurance for farmers and traders and free bi-cycles for school girls under Mai Bhago Vidya Scheme.
Exhorting the people to continue this success saga in order to ensure more un-hampered progress, he expressed hope that on the basis of development, the SAD-BJP alliance would complete a silver jubilee and serve the people of Punjab for another 25 years. He once gain re-iterated the commitment of the SAD-BJP alliance for continues to fight for protecting the interests of the state.Praying for long and healthy life of the Chief Minister, Union State Minister and state BJP Chief Mr. Vijay Sampla recalled the immense contribution of Mr. Badal in safeguarding the interests of the state and its people. He said that SAD-BJP alliance was not merely political but it was aimed for protecting the interests of the state. Mr. Sampla said that the farmers of the state need water to make the country self-sufficient in food grains thereby giving the much required fillip to the economy of the country. Mr. Sampla categorically said that state was not having a single drop of spare water to share with anyone.On the occasion Cabinet Minister Dr. Daljeet Singh Cheema conducted the proceedings of the stage.
Prominent amongst other present on the occasion included Cabinet Ministers Mr. Bikram Singh Majithia, Dr. Daljeet Singh Cheema, Mr. Parminder Singh Dhindsa, Mr. Janmeja Singh Sekhon, Jathedar Tota Singh, Mr. Gulzar Singh Ranike, Mr. Sikander Singh Maluka, Mr. Sohan Singh Thandal, Jathedar Ajit Singh Kohar, Mr. Surjit Singh Rakhra, Mr. Sharanjeet Singh Dhillon and Mr. Surjit Kumar Jiyani, Lok Sabha MPs Prof Prem Singh Chandumajra and Jathedar Ranjeet Singh Brahmpura, Rajya Sabha MPs Mr. Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa and Mr Balwinder Singh Bhunder, Advisor to Chief Minister on National Affairs and Media Mr Harcharan Bains, MLAs Bibi Jagir Kaur, Mr Pawan Kumar Teenu, Bhai Gobind Singh Longowal, Jathedar Surinder Singh Bhullewal Rathan, Mr Iqbal Singh Jhunda,Mr Jeet Mohinder Singh Sidhu, Mr Joginder Pal Jain, Bibi Mohinder Kaur Josh, Babu Parkash Chand Garg, Mr Sarup Chand Singla, Mr Harmeet Singh Sandhu, Justice (Retd) Nirmal Singh and Mr NK Sharma, former Ministers Jathedar Sucha Singh Langah, Jathedar Sewa Singh Sekhwan, Mr Nirmal Singh Kahlon and Bibi Upinderjit Kaur, former MLAs Mr Ajaib Singh Bhatti, Mr. Sarabjeet Singh Makkar and Mr Isher Singh Meharbaan besides several leaders of SAD-BJP alliance.