Chandigarh, April 1
It was a different day today in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha. Forgetting bitterness and fierce political rivalry, the Treasury as well as Opposition Benches passed two important resolutions unanimously. Of course, there was a wordy duel between the Leader of the Opposition, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, and Chief Minister Amarinder Singh before the second resolution on the SYL canal issue was passed.
The Treasury Benches thumped the desks when the SAD announced its support to both official resolutions.
The first resolution was about the impact of the special package of incentives granted by the Union Government to Himachal Pradesh and Uttaranchal in the form of excise waiver and income tax holiday on the existing and new industrial units. By passing the resolution, the House sought a similar package for Punjab.
Capt Amarinder Singh, who moved the official resolution, said industrial units would shift to Himachal Pradesh if such incentives were not extended to Punjab. SAD leader Kanwaljit Singh, extended his party’s support to the resolution. He said even if the ruling party wanted to take a deputation to the Union Government in this connection, the SAD was prepared to go along.
The other resolution was on the SYL canal and the river waters issue. It was the same resolution which was passed for all-party meeting boycotted by the SAD.
However, the SAD today supported this resolution without expressing any reservations. Its main part was that the Prime Minister should be requested to intervene in the SYL canal issue at the earliest to resolve the dispute. The resolution also listed the steps taken by the government to defend the state’s rights on river waters.
Thanking the Opposition, Capt Amarinder Singh, commented “it seems to be good day as both resolutions have been passed unanimously”. However, he replied to the potshots Mr Badal took on the Congress while speaking on the resolution on the SYL canal. Capt Amarinder Singh, said it was true that mistakes had been committed in the past with regard to the handling of the river waters issue but Mr Badal should equally share the blame. He referred to Mr Badal’s close relations with the Chautala family which had proved costly for Punjab. Capt Amarinder Singh said that owing to personal reasons and vested interests, Mr Badal engaged light-weight advocates to contest the state’s case on the SYL canal in the
Supreme Court. The Chief Minister said he was sure that the state would now win the civil suit with regard to the canal in the Supreme Court.
It was wrong on the part of Mr Badal not to have faith in the institutions like the Supreme Court. “I strongly believe the Supreme Court would do justice with Punjab on the river waters issue,“ he asserted.
Earlier, Mr Badal reiterated his earlier allegations as to how the Congress and its leaders at the Centre as well as in the state had stabbed Punjab in the back with regard to the defending of its right over the river waters. He named Mrs Indira Gandhi, Mr Darbara Singh and certain other Congress leaders in this connection. Admitting that his family had close relations with the Chautala family, Mr Badal said he had never compromised on the issue of the SYL canal. Mr Badal offered his party’s full support to the ruling party on the river waters issue. The ruling party should take a stand that the Centre had nothing to do with the river waters as it was a state subject. “I would say that Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee had no right to intervene in the river waters issue as Mrs Indira Gandhi had done, overstepping her legal authority”, said Mr Badal .
The BJP also extended full support to both resolutions.
