Kulwinder Sandhu/ Varinder Singh

Tribune News Service

Moga, December 8

The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Thursday launched ‘Pani Bachao, Punjab Bachao’ rally, on the SYL Canal issue, on Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal’s 90th birthday at Kili Chahal village in Moga district.

Seeking a referendum of people of Punjab on the contentious river waters issue, the top SAD leadership vowed to go to the extent of sacrificing their lives to save Punjab waters.

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The SAD has also made it clear that Punjab’s river waters would be its biggest poll plank in the 2017 Assembly elections.

The party projected itself as the ‘biggest saviour’ of Punjab’s interests particularly, the river waters.

Interestingly, the BJP’s Punjab unit stood rock sold behind the SAD on river water issue notwithstanding, the different tunes being sung by the party’s Haryana unit.

The rally, however, did not see any participation of the central leadership of the BJP.

The participation of the BJP workers’ was minimal and there were no banners of the BJP inside the rally venue.

Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal said protecting Punjab’s water was one of the biggest issues facing them. “The economy of Punjab is dependent on agriculture and agriculture is dependent on water, which is very essential to be protected at any cost,” he said.

Referring to the riparian laws, he said that Punjab had the sole right on its river waters.

“Rajasthan and Haryana must be thankful to Punjab for the water being given to them already rather than demanding more water,” Badal said.

He also lashed out at Capt Amarinder for giving resignation from Lok Sabha on the SYL issue, claiming that he resigned because he was likely to contest the Assembly elections.

He said it was a historic decision of his government to hand over the SYL land back to its owners.

“We will not allow the digging of the SYL Canal. We are ready for any sacrifice,” he said.

He cautioned the people not to go by the words of AAP and Congress leaders.

“They will force you to pay more taxes. They will snatch free power supply to agriculture, therefore you must be cautious,” Badal said.

Terming it a historic day, SAD president and Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal said Punjab will not share even a single drop of water with other states.

He lashed out at the previous Congress governments for the injustice done to Punjab by snatching its waters. Lakhs of people have signed a petition against SYL and we will soon meet the President in this regard to save Punjab, he said.

He also lambasted the Gandhi family for attacking the Golden Temple and demanded an apology from Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi for terming the youth drug addicts

The gathering, which was 40,0000 to 45,000 at the start of the rally, rose to almost 85,000 near the end.

Sukhbir also asked Capt Amarinder Singh to stop day dreaming and said: “We will again form the government and rule the state for 25 years”.

Sukhbir forgot to congratulate his father on his birthday while all other party leaders congratulated him.

Bikram Majithia was not given time to address the rally.