CHANDIGARH: Punjab assembly today adopted a resolution against the construction of Sutlej Yamuna Link (SYL) Canal saying the state "does not have a drop of water to spare" even as the Speaker suspended all the Congress MLAs for remaining period of the day's session.
Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, moving the resolution, said the SYL Canal land will be "de-acquired" by the state government.
"Punjab is primarily an agrarian state and river waters are its lifeline," he said.
"According to the Riparian Principles, Punjab had absolute right over its river waters, but through various agreements and decisions it had been robbed off its due share in broad daylight," he said.
"Punjab didn't have a single drop of water to share with anyone," he said.
Speaker Charanjit Singh Atwal suspended Congress members for creating a pandemonium in the House over a tussle on who will speak first on the resolution which was moved by Badal.
The members in the House, in the absence of entire opposition Congress, resolved not to accept any decision against "injustice" to river waters of Punjab.
"Any attempt to divest river waters of Ravi and Beas from Punjab and forcefully implementing the decision to construct SYL in Punjab will not be tolerated at any cost," Badal said.
The CM alleged that Congress governments had "betrayed" Punjab over its rights on river waters as the decision to construct SYL was taken by the then Indira Gandhi government in 1981.
He said Punjab will not "compromise" over the issue of SYL project, he said.
Earlier, opposition Congress members forced five adjournments of the assembly.
As the Chief Minister moved the resolution, Congress members created a pandemonium in the House pleading before the Speaker to allow them to present their views prior to Badal on the issue of river waters of the state.
Badal took a dig at the opposition saying that "they don't want to listen to him and want to run away from the assembly."
Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal said the Leader of House will "uncover" the Congress' face in his speech as he hit out at Leader of Opposition Charanjit Singh Channi, saying "he is sabotaging the entire issue."
However, Channi took his stand and said "we want two amendments in the resolution" even as the Speaker declined the opposition pleas.
The House witnessed sharp exchanges between the treasury and opposition members.
As the Congress members continued with their protest, Atwal urged the opposition members not to create ruckus in the assembly.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Madan Mohan Mittal said, "The CM has a privilege to speak first as he had moved the resolution. You (Congress members) listen to the CM...your sins will be washed...Congress is not working in the interest of the state."
The Speaker suspended two Congress MLAs Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa and Balbir Singh Sidhu from the remaining period of the session of the day.
Later, the Speaker suspended the entire Congress flock for the remaining period of the session.
Channi said that "the voice of opposition is being muzzled in the assembly. We were keen to have a debate on the issue in the interest of people of the state."
"Centre has taken a stand against Punjab on presidential reference on the SYL issue," he said, adding that the Congress wanted an amendment in the resolution condemning the Centre's recent move on SYL issue.
"Badal had agreement with Modi (Prime Minister Narendra) and Chautalas (former Haryana Chief Minister Om Parkash) due to his vested interests," he alleged.
He described the resolution as an "eye-wash" by which nothing could be done to save water of Punjab.