A day after the Supreme Court asked the Chief Ministers of Punjab and Haryana to work out an amicable settlement of the Sutlej Yamuna Link (SYL) canal issue, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Wednesday that Prime Minister Narendra Modi should find a solution to the dispute.
Addressing the Press conference at the launch of AAP’s ‘Make India No. 1’ campaign in Hisar District of Haryana, Kejriwal said, the SYL is an important issue but dirty politics is being played on it.
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“I would like to ask, what is the stand of the Punjab Congress and Haryana Congress on SYL? And what is the stand of the Punjab BJP and Haryana BJP on SYL? When they (BJP, Congress) go to Punjab, they say they won’t let SYL be constructed. When they come to Haryana, they say they will get SYL. These dirty politics did not allow India to become No. 1 during the past 70 years,” the AAP supremo said.
“We should not fight each other. I appeal to the prime minister to find a solution and if he doesn’t have a solution, he can call me for tea. I will give the solution,” he added.
Expressing concern over the shortage of water for both Punjab and Haryana, he said, “We have to accept this. The water table is going down in Punjab as well as Haryana. There is a shortage of water and people are thirsty. Both the states need water. It is the responsibility of the Centre to intervene and arrange water for both Haryana and Punjab.”
Questioning the role of the central government, Kejriwal said,“What is the responsibility of the Centre? Not that it pitches both states against each other. If we keep fighting with each other, then how will India move forward? We are on a mission to bring 130 Crore people together. Both the states can get water. The Central government has to take responsibility. I request the Prime Minister for arranging adequate water for both Punjab and Haryana.”
Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann, who was also present at the press conference said, he had no hesitation in meeting the Haryana Chief Minister on the issue. But the Centre should find a solution as both states are facing a water-shortage.