Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh has lashed out at Akali MP Prem Singh Chandumajra for making baseless and frivolous allegations of an attempted secret pact with Haryana on the SYL issue, saying the matter was in the apex court and there was no question of reaching any deal, secret or otherwise, with the ML Khattar government.The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) MP’s charges were sheer fabrication, with not an iota of truth in them, said the Chief Minister, warning Chandumajra against any attempt to whip up passions on the sensitive SYL issue with such unfounded statements. The government, said Captain Amarinder, would not allow anyone to disrupt the peace and stability of the state over any issue, including SYL, which was currently in the Supreme Court, with the Centre facilitating dialogue to resolve the issue.It was the Akalis who believed and indulged in secret deals and political intrigues in order to promote their financial and political interests, said Captain Amarinder, adding that he had neither the time nor the inclination to engage in such activity. His government, said the Chief Minister, was busy trying to sort out the mess in which the erstwhile SAD-BJP regime had left the state and had, from the outset, favoured a dialogue under the central government’s aegis to thrash out the SYL issue.
Captain Amarinder expressed the confidence that the apex court and the central government would come to an amicable solution to the SYL problem, keeping the interests of the water-scarce Punjab in mind. However, if he ever needed to sign a pact with Haryana in the interest of Punjab and its people, he would do so openly and not go for any secret dealings, the Chief Minister declared.On the threat of SAD MPs to boycott the all-party meeting of all members of Parliament from the state, convened by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Brahm Mohindra, Captain Amarinder said it was their prerogative to attend or not to attend. The minister had taken a major initiative by convening such a meeting to take the views of all MPs before finalizing the state’s agenda for the Parliament session and any MP who decided to boycott the same would do so at the cost of the welfare of Punjab and its people, he added.As elected representatives, the MPs were responsible for collectively raising the concerns of the state in both the Houses of Parliament and the proposed meeting was an important forum to formalise their agenda, the Chief Minister pointed out. Mohindra had set an excellent precedent by calling the meeting, and Punjab MPs from all the parties should make the most of this opportunity to give suggestions and feedback, so that the state’s problems and issues could be taken up aggressively and proactively in Parliament, he added.The Chief Minister urged all MPs to rise above petty political considerations and work collectively in the interest of Punjab.