-Nabha, January 30
Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Badal alleged that Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has given in to pressure from the central government and is paving the way for the release of Punjab’s river waters to Haryana via the Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal.
Badal made the remarks to the media after visiting senior SAD leader Bikram Singh Majithia at Nabha jail. He described Majithia as being in good spirits despite his incarceration, which he claimed was politically motivated due to Majithia’s opposition to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government’s policies affecting Punjab’s interests.
Badal emphasized that the SAD remains undeterred by what he called false cases filed against its leaders. He announced that an SAD government, if elected in 2027, would establish a commission to investigate all such cases and take legal action against officials responsible for registering them.
Criticizing Mann on the SYL issue, Badal said it was “shocking” that the chief minister had, during a joint press conference with his Haryana counterpart, indicated willingness to proceed with the canal once the quantum of water to be shared was finalized. He described this as a compromise on Punjab’s water rights and accused Mann of holding meetings to enable the transfer of the state’s waters to Haryana.
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Badal contrasted this with the firm stance of former chief minister Parkash Singh Badal, who had declared that no water would flow through the SYL even if ordered by the Supreme Court. He noted that the previous SAD government had denotified the canal land and returned it to farmers. Badal also referenced AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal’s 2017 statements and affidavit supporting water transfer to Haryana and Delhi as evidence of the party’s long-standing position.
Additionally, Badal condemned the Mann government for the alleged breakdown of law and order in Punjab, citing over 25 deaths due to gangster violence and anti-social elements in the past 20 days alone. He accused Mann of shirking responsibility as home minister—despite previously criticizing others in opposition—and highlighted the exodus of industry and lack of new investments.
Badal pledged that the next SAD government in 2027 would implement a strong policy to eliminate the gangster menace.
