Partap Singh Bajwa has condemned Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann for not defending Punjab’s water rights during discussions on the SYL canal issue. He highlighted the state’s environmental challenges and lack of surplus water.
India
-Krishna Kripa
Punjab
Congress
leader
Partap
Singh
Bajwa
criticised
Chief
Minister
Bhagwant
Mann
for
not
defending
Punjab’s
rights
over
its
water
resources.
This
criticism
followed
a
meeting
between
Mann
and
Haryana
Chief
Minister
Nayab
Singh
Saini,
where
they
discussed
the
Sutlej-Yamuna
Link
(SYL)
canal
issue.
During
a
joint
press
briefing,
Mann
referred
to
Haryana
as
Punjab’s
brother,
not
an
adversary.
image
Partap
Singh
Bajwa
has
condemned
Chief
Minister
Bhagwant
Mann
for
not
defending
Punjab’s
water
rights
during
discussions
on
the
SYL
canal
issue.
He
highlighted
the
state’s
environmental
challenges
and
lack
of
surplus
water.
Bajwa
expressed
disappointment
with
Mann’s
approach,
stating,
“Once
again,
the
chief
minister
failed
to
defend
Punjab’s
riparian
rights.
There
was
not
a
single
word
on
constitutional
safeguards,
not
a
word
on
established
principles
of
riparian
law.
And
suddenly,
his
favourite
line
‘Punjab
ke
paas
ik
boond
pani
vi
nahi’
(Punjab
does
not
have
a
single
drop
of
water)
vanished
into
thin
air.”
Riparian
Rights
and
Environmental
Concerns
Bajwa
highlighted
that
Punjab
is
an
environmentally
fragile
state
with
no
surplus
water
to
share.
He
questioned
why
Mann
prioritised
appearances
over
obligations
and
seemed
to
favour
Haryana’s
perspective
over
Punjab’s
survival.
“The
facts
are
clear,
the
law
is
clear,
and
Punjab’s
position
is
clear.
What
is
unclear
is
why
the
chief
minister
chose
optics
over
obligation
and
Haryana’s
narrative
over
Punjab’s
survival,” Bajwa
stated.
He
further
accused
Mann
of
neglecting
his
duties,
saying
it
was
not
ignorance
but
a
deliberate
choice.
Bajwa
remarked
that
when
Punjab’s
lifeline
was
at
risk,
Mann
opted
for
symbolism
rather
than
taking
substantial
action.
“This
is
not
ignorance;
this
is
willful
abdication.
This
is
not
incompetence;
this
is
backstabbing,” said
Bajwa.
Historical
References
and
Controversy
Shiromani
Akali
Dal
chief
Sukhbir
Singh
Badal
also
criticised
Mann
for
allegedly
misrepresenting
Sikh
history
to
justify
sharing
Punjab’s
river
waters
with
other
states.
Badal
found
it
outrageous
and
sacrilegious
to
compare
the
situation
to
Bhai
Kanhaiya’s
acts
of
charity.
“It
is
one
thing
to
offer
water
to
the
dying
as
an
act
of
charity
and
compassion
as
Bhai
Kanhaiya
ji
did,
and
quite
another
to
surrender
Punjab’s
lifeline,
the
river
waters,”
Badal
commented
on
X.
Badal
demanded
an
apology
from
Mann
for
allegedly
distorting
Sikh
history.
He
emphasised
that
the
issue
concerns
Punjab’s
riparian
rights
rather
than
charity.
“This
is
about
Punjab’s
riparian
rights,
not
charity,”
he
insisted.
Brotherhood
Over
Conflict
After
the
meeting
with
Saini,
Mann
reiterated
that
Haryana
is
not
an
enemy
but
a
brother.
He
referenced
Bhai
Kanhaiya
ji,
who
served
water
indiscriminately
during
a
battle
in
Anandpur
Sahib.
“As
the
CM
Saini
saab
said
that
Guru’s
bani
is
guiding
us.
We
are
the
descendants
of
Bhai
Kanhaiya
ji
who
gave
water
even
to
enemies
in
the
war.
Haryana
is
not
our
enemy;
it
is
our
brother,”
Mann
stated.
Bhai
Kanhaiya
was
a
follower
of
Guru
Teg
Bahadur,
the
ninth
Sikh
master.
He
carried
a
leather
pouch
filled
with
water
during
battles
and
offered
it
to
all
wounded
individuals
without
discrimination.
The
ongoing
debate
over
water
rights
highlights
tensions
between
Punjab
and
Haryana.
The
discussions
around
the
SYL
canal
remain
contentious,
with
leaders
expressing
differing
views
on
how
best
to
address
these
issues
while
respecting
historical
and
environmental
considerations.
With
inputs
from
PTI
