CHANDIGARH: With both Punjab and Haryana governments stuck to their respective stands on the long pending Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal issue, the main opposition party in Haryana- Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) on Saturday announced that it would stop vehicles coming from Punjab towards Delhi on July 10 and stage dharnas on May 1 at all the subdivisions in the State.
The decision was taken at the State executive meeting of the INLD as a resolution to this effect was passed, it was decided that the youth wing of the party would stop all vehicles bearing Punjab registration numbers at Ambala on National Highway 1, which also leads to Delhi.
Punjab State roadways buses and government vehicles will not be allowed to go further. Meanwhile private vehicles will be handed a memorandum in this regard besides a rose, and will be allowed to proceed further to Delhi. Ambulance or emergency services will not be disrupted.
“Our motive behind stopping vehicles going to Delhi from Punjab is not to harass people, but to lodge our symbolic protest against the Punjab government’s attitude. The State government vehicles, whether that of a bureaucrat or others including chief minister or ministers, will not be allowed to move,’’ said Leader of Opposition Abhay Singh Chautala.
The INLD leader also accused chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar of letting down the people of Haryana by not including opposition leaders at a meeting he held with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
INLD State president, Ashok Arora, said that the party’s State executive has passed a resolution demanding compensation of Rs 25,000 per acre for farmers whose crop was been burnt in fire, and immediate arrangement of electricity, drinking and irrigation water in places where there is acute shortage besides compensation to farmers who have been forced to sell their mustard produce below maximum selling price (MSP).
Meanwhile, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) took strong notice of the threat issued by INLD to stop Punjabi vehicles from entering Haryana on July 10 and termed this act as unfortunate, illegal, unconstitutional and highly dangerous.
SAD Secretary and Spokesman Dr. Daljit Singh Cheema said that it was surprising that a responsible political party is giving a call for such a program which can directly result in bloody clashes between the people of Punjab and Haryana. He said that this decision of NLD has reminded the people of the 1982 ASIAN games during which people from Punjab, particularly Sikhs, who were going to watch the games were dragged out of their vehicles and humiliated.
Daljit Singh Cheema further said that political parties from Haryana should desist from indulging in such inciting activities and should not forget their responsibilities while trying to score points in the political battle on the SYL issue. He said that neither could such a bogus threat scare Punjabis nor can it stop them from entering Haryana.
SAD has urged Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar to take serious notice of the threats issued by INLD and ensure safety of Punjabis and smooth flow of traffic from Punjab to Delhi via Haryana and vice-versa.