Not one drop of water will flow out of Punjab to other states: Harpal Cheema

The party was on the defensive after AAP Rajya Sabha MP and Haryana incharge Sushil Gupta on Tuesday had stated that by 2025, there would be an AAP government in Haryana, which would ensure, in coordination with the AAP government in Punjab, construction of the SYL and its water to every field. AAP had not reacted to Gupta’s statement on Tuesday.

On Wednesday, Cheema did not address the media to clarify party stand but released a video message. Without mentioning Gupta’s statement he said they would not allow a single drop to flow out. “We are ready to make any sacrifice for standing up for the riparian rights of Punjab. It is strange that the parties were attacking AAP on the issue that was created by them during their rule. They are playing politics on the sensitive issue. We assure that we are working to make groundwater conservation schemes,” he said.

SYL was not the only issue on which the AAP found itself cornered. Opposition gunned for the government over Power Minister Harbhajan Singh’s statement Tuesday that free power would not be given to creamy layer of SCs and BCs.

Defending the Bhagwant Mann government, party spokesperson Malwinder Singh Kang also turned the heat on the Opposition parties stating that it was due to their rule that the state was funds crunched. Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has maintained studied silence on both the issues.

Kang hit out at previous Congress and Akali Dal governments for leaving the state finances in a mess. He said had it not been so, the entire state would have got free power.

The Power Minister was not available for comments. He did not attend office on Wednesday. His staff said that he was busy in his constituency.