Satinder Bains/Punjab News Express
CHANDIGARH: The Shiromani Akali Dal(SAD) and BJP, the ruling alliance partners in Punjab have taken farmers of the state for a ride on the issue of Satluj Yamuna Link (SYL) Canal in a bid to counter strong anti-incumbency against them. The both parties are ruling partners in center and BJP is in power in Haryana with which Punjab is on war path on sharing of river waters.
The SAD has been raising the issue of SYL Canal every five years before elections and this time again the Akali Dal is trying to make the SYL Canal issue a poll plank. SAD had announced to make development an issue for election but it seemed that party had reviewed its policy and raked up the inter-state issues with Haryana. Interestingly SAD had not spoken a word on Jat agitation and violence in Haryana where Punjabi busienessmen were made the main target.
Is this not interguing that SAD and are ruling in Punjab, Haryana and at center and they are not able to resolve the inter state issues while Akalis in the past had been accusing Congress partty for not accepting Punjab's demands on inter-state issues like sharing of river waters, transfer of Chandigbarh and Punjabi speaking areas to Punjab. These issues are being used by SAD, BJP and Congress for their political convimnience from time to time.
When SAD and BJP are ruling in Punjab, Haryana and at center, it should be most approperiate time to resolve the long pending issues but it has become an interesting issue to see ruling partners fighting against each other and not resolving the issue.
It is believed that people of Punjab are fed up from SAD-BJP alliance and Congress party which are ruling in Punjab by turn and keeping the inter state disputes alive for vested interests. The intelligence reports with Punjab Government have given an edge to Aam Aadmi Party(AAP) over two key players and presence of third player has disturbed the arithmatic of ruling alliance.
One can ask Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal why he kept quite on the issue of SYL during last nine years of his rule while there were ample opportunities to sort out issues with Haryana at the time of Indian National Lok Dal(INLD) government in Haryana headed by Om Parkash Chautala, close friend of Badals. SAD had won several elections on the inter state dispiutes by exploiting sentiments of people.
Badal has in fact also taken Congress party for ride this time and stumped his political rival PPCC president Captain Amarinder Singh and CLP leader Charanjit Singh Channi who had no option other than toeing the line of SAD. While Amarinder gave call to fill the SYL Canal, Channi himself went to site to level the Canal. Badal had played his master stroke by passing a bill to denotify the land acquired for SYL Canal well knowing that it is illegal and unconstitional act and Governor would not give his assent to the bill. He however given a message that Punjab farmers would get their land back free of cost. It was a ploy to befool the people of Punjab. Now when Supreme Court has taken cognigance of the issue, it is likely that criminal cases would be registered against the farmers who induldged in leveling of canal and also uprooted thousands of trees in protected forest arear along the Canal. The SAD leaders instigated the farmers to fill the canal and uproot the trees.
SAD and BJP both are trying to shift the focus of people from other important issues gthat plagued Punjab during the last nine years. Punjab is now known as drug capital of India, the crime rate in the state is highest particularly the crime against women is on the rise, sand mining and liquore mafia has taken the toll, the transport mafia is run by the ruling family itself, corruption is rampat, political interference in police working has ruined the reputation of once most prestigious force of country, thousands of people suffered loses in the hands of real estate mafia, urban civic amenties are poorest and holy city of Amritsar being listed among most dirty cities of India, rural roads are in bad shape, primary health system is crumbling, economy of Punjab is in shambles, the business men are heavily taxed and industry is fleeing from the state.Is this not sad state of affairs ?
In such a scenario, the SAD and BJP are trying to befool the farmers of Punjab by promising them giving their land back free of cost for which they were paid compensation by Haryana Government. Badal has managed to pass a bill which will in all probability would not get assent of Governor and President of India.
It seems SAD and BJP failing to perform have took to illegal course of misleading the farmerts and garmner theur votes. The SYL issue is only a political gimmick and it will be put to cold storage after the 2017 assembly elections.
Badal must realise that his political gimmicks may lead to unrest and violence in Punjab. This is the same gimmick he played by launching Dharam Yudh Morcha and allowing misuse of Golden Temple by terrorists. People of Punjab need to be aware of nefarious designs of plotical masters and save Punjab for future generations.