Punjab had no right to unilaterally terminate water-sharing agreements: Supreme Court

CHANDIGARH: The battle for riparian rights took centre stage on Thursday, after Supreme Court verdict favouring Haryana over Punjab over the construction of Satluj Yamuna Link Canal. Farmers in Punjab under the patronage of Ruling Shiromani Akali Dal filled large portions of canal around three months back, calling courts contempt but political parties remain unfazed on the issue.

The Supreme Court on Thursday ruled that Punjab had no right to unilaterally terminate water-sharing agreements with neighbouring states.

Supreme Court Judgement over Satluj Yamuna Link canal has been strongly opposed by political parties across the spectrum. Ruling SAD and principle opposition party in state - Congress has outrightly rejected the verdict, meaning state is heading for a major showdown over the issue. AAP too joined the chorus.

Minutes after the Supreme Court announced its verdict on the controversial and long-pending SYL issue, Punjab Congress president Captain Amarinder Singh on Thursday
resigned from his Lok Sabha seat, even as all party MLAs quit their Assembly seats, in protest against the injustice meted out to the people of the state.

SAD President Sukhbir Badal too opposed the verdict.

"Come what may, we would not allow even a single drop of precious river water of Punjab to go outside the state as the state government is committed to protecting the interests of Punjab because of water being the lifeline of the state" Punjab Deputy Chief Minister, Sukhbir Singh Badal said.

Captain Amarinder has sent his resignation to the Lok Sabha Speaker and has also sought a personal meeting next week. The party MLAs have also sent their resignations to the Speaker, Punjab Assembly, and will meet him personally to hand over their papers.

In his resignation, Captain Amarinder said he had decided to quit as member of the 16th Lok Sabha from Amritsar constituency in Punjab with immediate effect "as a mark of protest against the deprivation of the people of my state of the much-needed Sutlej river water."

Describing the SYL judgement by the apex court as a "major blow to the people of Punjab," Captain Amarinder said he had always fought for their legitimate right on this issue and continues to stand by them at this critical juncture in the state’s journey.

Blaming the Akalis squarely for bringing the people of Punjab to this pitiable situation, where they faced imminent devastation due to acute water scarcity, Captain Amarinder said Badal and his team had failed to defend Punjab’s stand in the court, leading to such disastrous consequences for the state.

"The Akalis let down the people of Punjab on this critical issue, selling off their interests to Haryana," said Captain Amarinder said, accusing the Badal government of promoting its vested political interests at the cost of the interests of the state.

"Badal has done to Punjab what even its worst enemy could not have done. He has plunged Punjab into a state of total despair," said Captain Amarinder, declaring that the people of the state will not forgive the Akalis for playing with their lives.

The Akali government, said the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) president, had gone all out to scuttle every move of the Congress to bring relief to the people of Punjab in the SYL matter. Recalling that his government had tried to protect Punjab’s interests through the Punjab Termination of Agreements Bill, 2004, Captain Amarinder said the Akalis, on the other hand, had exposed them to unprecedented hardship as a result of their failure to safeguard their interests in the court.

The Badals never had the interests of the people of Punjab at heart, as is evident from the way they have handled the issue all these years. The theatrics they are now indulging in, by demanding royalty for water-sharing and asserting that they would not allow a single drop of water to leave Punjab, are not going to save Punjab’s citizens, said Captain Amarinder.

On the contrary, the preposterous idea floated by Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal to seek royalty from other states using Sutlej water would be even more detrimental to the interests of Punjab, since it was itself using water receiving from neighbouring Himachal Pradesh. "After helping out Haryana, it seems Badal is now trying to help Himachal Pradesh, by suggesting that it should demand royalty from Punjab," said Captain Amarinder.