AAP in ‘morcha’ mode, Kejri mum

Friday, 11/11/2016

http://paper.hindustantimes.com/epaper/viewer.aspx

CHANDIGARH: Holding both Congress and Akali Dal responsible for the adverse Supreme Court order on SYL Canal issue, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has declared to open an indefinite “morcha” (front) at Kapuri village (the origin of the canal) from Friday.

While the party’s national convener and Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal maintained a studied silence on the issue, the state leadership of the party addressed a press conference on Thursday, saying that AAP will not allow sharing of Punjab river waters.

They blamed Congress and SAD for keeping the interests of Punjab at stake to grab power. “It was the Congress that laid the foundation stone of the canal and SAD started the construction,” said the local leaders.

Terming the resignation of PPCC chief Captain Amarinder Singh as MP a “political drama”, AAP leaders demanded that if Captain was serious on the issue, he must resign from the Congress and even all Rajya Sabha MPs of Congress from Punjab should also submit their resignations on the issue.

“Akalis must end their political ties with the BJP and Union minister Harsimrat Badal should resign as the minister the Modi cabinet for Union government’s anti-Punjab stand in the Supreme Court,” AAP convener Gurpreet Singh Waraich said. Senior leader HS Phoolka said opinion of the SC was not binding on Punjab and the order didn’t automatically invalidate the Punjab Termination of Agreements Act, 2004. Kanwar Sandhu said the situation that had emerged seemed to be tailor-made for creating trouble. FARMERS’ BODY TO START STIR ON NOVEMBER 13 AMRITSAR: The Kisan Sangharsh Committee, which has a considerable hold in Majha region, on Thursday announced to launch a state-wide ‘pucca morcha’ (indefinite protest) on November 13 in protest against the Supreme Court verdict on the Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal issue. The organisation’s state president Satnam Singh Pannu said the verdict was against the interests of Punjab, which had already been suffering from unprecedented water crisis. VERDICT UNACCEPTABLE, SAYS DAL KHALSA

Terming the SC verdict “completely unacceptable” to Punjab, the Dal Khalsa on Thursday vowed not to allow the construction of the SYL canal at any cost.

Dal Khalsa leaders HS Dhami and Kanwar Pal Singh also criticised the role of Congress and Akali leaders with regard to the SYL issue during the 1980s and ’90s, terming it dubious and detrimental to the interests of Punjab.