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Bhagwant Mann launches counter attack on opposition over SYL issue

Mann said that the hands of these leaders were drenched with this crime against the state and history would never forgive the backstabbing.

ByAayush Goel

Published Oct 11, 2023 | 5:47 PM ⚊ Updated Oct 11, 2023 | 5:47 PM

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann. (Supplied)

At a time when the banter between the Punjab and Haryana governments over the Sutlej Yamuna Link (SYL) issue is on the rise, and the leaders of the BJP, SAD and the Congress in Punjab targeting the Bhagwant-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government, Mann took to social media to launch a counterattack.

Addressing BJP’s state president Sunil Jakhar, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) chief Sukhbir Singh Badal and Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa and Congress state President Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, Mann asked them on Wednesday, 11 October, to introspect their acts which landed Punjab in this situation.

Their criticism came following the Supreme Court directive on 4 October, 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.

Also read: Vidhan Sabha to convene special meeting; protests continue on SYL issue

‘Don’t have any shame’

“They don’t have any shame. Former Union minister Balram Jakhar (father of Sunil Jakhar) along with Captain Amarinder Singh accompanied the then prime minister Indira Gandhi to perform the ground-breaking ceremony of SYL at Kapuri. Similarly, he said that former chief minister of Haryana Chaudhary Devi Lal had hailed his then counterpart in Punjab Parkash Singh Badal for allowing the survey of this canal”, said Mann.

Targeting Sukhbir Badal, Mann said that the government suspected that he was granted land for a five-star hotel in Gurugram to sell off Punjab’s interest to Haryana.

Mann while accusing the Opposition said that the hands of these leaders were drenched with this crime against the state and that history would never forgive them for backstabbing Punjab.

The AAP government has already booked Tagore Theatre in Chandigarh for an open debate on the SYL issue with these leaders on 1 November.

Mann had challenged them for this debate and has now asked them to come prepared to elaborate on the acts of their governments and forefathers which ruined Punjab.