CHANDIGARH: Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar today hit out at the opposition Congress for "not working" in the interest of the state and doing "nothing" to resolve the long-pending SYL canal issue.
Khattar was replying to the Governor's address in the Haryana Assembly here today.
"Congress always says it works for the betterment of people. But in reality, Congress can never work in the interest of the people. It was a pre-planned strategy of the members of Congress to remain outside the House during the budget session as they knew that the SYL canal issue was to be discussed in the House," Khattar said.
Congress remained in power in Haryana as well as at the Centre for 10 years but did "nothing" to resolve the Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal issue, he said.
"We raised the issue in the Supreme Court. As a result of our concerted efforts, the Supreme Court has started hearing the issue. We have put forth the state's view point in successive four hearings and are again going to vigorously present the same in the fifth hearing scheduled to be held on March 30," he said.
Khattar said that he had also convened an all-party meeting on the SYL canal and Jat reservation issues but Congress "boycotted the meeting on the pretext" that no personal invitation was sent to them. "Congress should have attended the meeting in the interest of the state," he said.
The Haryana CM said that an all-party delegation, barring Congress, later met Punjab Governor Kaptan Singh Solanki and urged him not to sign this "unconstitutional" Bill passed by Punjab Assembly.
Congress members remained absent from the House today despite Assembly Speaker revoking suspension of 11 members out of the 14 MLAs yesterday.