Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann targets opposition leaders over SYL issue

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann. File Pic

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Wednesday hit back at opposition leaders for accusing his government of failing to safeguard the state's interest on the Sutlej Yamuna Link (SYL) canal issue, reported news agency PTI.

Opposition leaders including Punjab BJP chief Sunil Jakhar, Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Badal, state Congress chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring and Leader of Opposition in the Punjab Assembly Partap Singh Bajwa have been attacking the government over the vexed issue.

Their criticism came following the Supreme Court directive on October 4, asking the Centre to conduct a survey of land in Punjab that was allocated for the construction of the canal's portion in the state and make an estimate of the extent of work carried out there.

The Congress, BJP and SAD have held protests over the past few days, slamming the Mann government over the issue.

In a post on X, Bhagwant Mann hit back at them asking if these leaders "carry some shame" when they leave home.

Former Congress leader Late Balram Jakhar (father of Sunil Jakhar) and Amarinder Singh, who is now with the BJP, and former Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal had supported the construction of SYL canal in Punjab, Bhagwant Mann said.

"Balram Jakhar stood with Captain (Amarinder Singh) in a photo of silver spade (a picture taken during the ground-breaking ceremony for the SYL canal in Punjab)¿Devi Lal (former Haryana chief minister) praised in Haryana Vidhan Sabha Parkash Singh Badal (former Punjab CM) for giving nod to carry out a survey for SYL," Mann said in his post.

Mann said opposition leaders should not worry about river water as he, as a child, used to guard a water course in his village. "Today, the God has assigned me the task of protecting the Sutlej."

Mann asked the opposition party leaders to come for an open debate on November 1.

Earlier, he had alleged these leaders "betrayed" Punjab and its people and their hands and souls were "drenched in blood".

Earlier, amid the ongoing dispute over the Satluj Yamuna Link (SYL) Canal, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has thrown down the gauntlet to opposition parties, including the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Shiromani Akali Dal, and Congress, by extending an "open invitation" for a "live debate on all issues" instead of engaging in "daily bickering."

In a statement posted in Hindi on X, CM Mann said, "It is my open invitation to BJP chief Jakhar ji, Akali Dal's Sukhbir Singh Badal, and Congress's Raja Wadding-Pratap Bajwa ji that instead of daily bickering, come once and sit in front of the media and discuss who looted Punjab and how... brother-nephew, brother-in-law, friends-relatives, youth-farmers, businesses-shopkeepers, speeches of Gurus, Canal waters... Let's do a live debate on all issues."

(With inputs from PTI)