Sanjay Bumbroo

Tribune News Service

Fatehgarh Sahib, November 8

Giving a twist to the Satluj Yamuna Link canal (SYL) row, Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on Tuesday said Punjab would demand royalty from riparian states for using its river waters if the Supreme Court gave verdict against the state over the SYL issue.

Badal said this while talking to the media at a sangat darshan programme being held at grain market at Badali Ala Singh in this district.

Badal said if Rajasthan, Bihar and other states were claiming royalty from other states for using mineral resources then Punjab had the right to claim royalty from riparian states for using the river waters.

(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)

Terming the proposed resignation by Capt Amarinder Singh and Congress legislators in case the Supreme Court gave verdict against Punjab, Badal said it was a mere political drama. He said the opposition leaders had never struggled for the nation or worked for the interests of Punjab.

Commenting on the arrest of leaders of various radical organisations for organising ‘Sarbat Khalsa’ at Talwandi Sabo on November 10, Badal said Pakistan-based terrorists and ISI were trying to vitiate the peaceful atmosphere of Punjab.

He said the main aim of the SAD-BJP government is to maintain peace and brotherhood in the state. In reply to a question that earlier too the radical Sikh organisations had held Sarbat Khalsa at Chhabal village near Amritsar, Badal said everyone knew that anti-national slogans were raised there. He said various leaders of radical Sikh organisations were being arrested so that law and order in the state could be maintained.