CHANDIGARH: The Haryana Assembly on Tuesday passed a resolution seeking completion of the Sutlej Yamuna Link (SYL) Canal and transfer of Hindi-speaking areas from Punjab. The resolution also rejected the neighbouring state’s claim over Chandigarh.
The one-day special session was held days after Punjab passed a resolution seeking immediate transfer of Chandigarh to the state. Moving the resolution, Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar appealed to the Centre not to take any steps until all concerns related to the Punjab Reorganisation Act were addressed. All parties, including the BJP and its allies and Independent MLAs, backed the resolution, which was adopted unanimously after a three-hour debate.
Urging the Central government to take measures for the construction of the SYL Canal in compliance with the Supreme Court order, the resolution stated, “The right of Haryana to share waters of Ravi and Beas rivers by the construction of the SYL Canal (SYL) is historically, legally, judicially and constitutionally established over time.
This August House has unanimously on at least seven occasions passed resolutions urging the early completion of the canal. Several agreements, accords, tribunal’s findings and judgments of the highest judiciary of the nation have all singularly upheld the claim of Haryana to the waters and directed the completion of the SYL canal. In defiance and contrary to these directions and agreements, legislations were enacted by Punjab to deny the rightful claims of Haryana.”
Raising the issue of transfer of Hindi-speaking areas to Haryana, the resolution stated that the Indira Gandhi Agreement, the Rajiv Longowal Accord and the Venkatramaiah Commission had all accepted the state’s claim over such areas within the territory of Punjab.
Reacting to Haryana’s move, Shiromani Akali Dal said the Assembly was trying to obfuscate the issue of transfer of Chandigarh by passing resolutions instead of demanding a separate capital for the state.