Punjab’s resolution on Chandigarh worsens Sutlej-Yamuna Link discord

The Punjab state Assembly has claimed an entitlement over Chandigarh. It has come in the form of a resolution the state Assembly passed on April 1, merely in a three-week time when the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) came to power in the state.

But the entitlement claim is a miscalculated step and it has opened Pandora’s box of Sutlej Yamuna canal constructions, a surface water dispute between Delhi and Haryana for what the two states have been at loggerheads every summer, for what Arvind Kejriwal in 2016, had staged a mass protest in Delhi and Punjab.

Also read: Chandigarh will remain joint capital of Punjab, Haryana: Khattar

It has opened Pandora’s box because Chandigarh is not only the capital of Haryana (like Punjab) but Chandigarh is a predominantly Hindi-speaking region and it is much closer to the heart of Haryanvi than the people of Punjab.

No ‘AAP zindabad’ slogans

The resolution has suddenly changed the direction of the political wind in Haryana. Now, those who hailed AAP’s victory in Punjab, those who hailed Kejriwal, those who liked this party over the BJP, Congress, and others have stopped taking calls of slogans – “AAP zindabad”, as no one in Haryana would sacrifice Chandigarh to Punjab.

Contrary to it, people in Haryana began reiterating that Delhi is dependent on Haryana for drinking water, the Punjab government has been detrimental to the construction of Sutlej-Yamuna Link (Canal) even after directions from the Supreme Court, over a 50-year-old discord.

Also read: Capital row: AAP, BJP in pitched battle for Chandigarh

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar has rejected the entitlement claim of the Punjab Assembly.

In Haryana, the Congress party, Indian National Lok Dal (INLD), the Jannayak Janata Party, and the state legislature have outwardly refuted the claim of Punjab Assembly by issuing statements. Both the issues are close to the heart of Haryana and Haryanvi – many AAP supporters are now in a big dilemma whether to hail AAP for its victory or condemn the resolution.

With 92 out of 117 seats, the Bhagwant Singh Mann-led AAP has a majority in the Punjab state Assembly. And, the party is now eyeing Haryana. However, the untimely claim in form of a resolution has weakened the AAP in Haryana.

Also read: Mann slams move to offer Central govt benefits to Chandigarh staff

Demand is rising from all political parties in Haryana to pass a similar resolution in the Haryana Assembly.

Stalwarts and political veterans Bhupender Singh Hooda, Kumari Selja, Captain Ajay Singh Yadav, Abhay Chautala, and MPs, MLAs, councillors and state activists have called for a special session in the state Assembly to prepare a “befitting reply” to the AAP.

Haryana CM Khattar’s stand

Khattar said, “Not an inch of Chandigarh, we will sacrifice. The resolution of Punjab claiming Chandigarh as its integral part is false and it is a miscalculated move. We will give a befitting reply.”

Leader of the Opposition in the Haryana Assembly Bhupender Singh Hooda has asked his party workers to utilise the moment and convert it into a mass movement.

“We have demanded from Khattar, a befitting reply,” said Hooda.

The former chief minister said that the Haryana government must raise the Sutlej-Yamuna link water issue and stop helping Delhi with additional water, especially in summer.

Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL), the sole source of surface water for the national capital, belongs to the state of Haryana as it has completed 90% of its constructions unlike Punjab and it is sharing surface water with Delhi as per the directions of the Supreme Court to supply 600 cusecs of water but beyond that Haryana government has been supplying 1,000 to 1,200 cusecs of water to help the people in Delhi in summers.

Former Haryana irrigation minister and seven-time MLA from Rewari, Captain Ajay Singh Yadav, called a press conference immediately after the resolution was passed in Punjab, condemning it and terming it “misguiding”.

“Delhi must thank Haryana for feeding it with surface water of Sutlej Beas and Yamuna for years as Delhi was not a priority in the water-sharing treaty between Punjab and Haryana and consolidated Punjab and Pakistan. Haryana shares its water with Delhi and Haryana has paid for Sutlej Beas water in 1954, the year marked by the Indus water treaty. Southern Punjab (now Haryana) included Mahendergarh, Jhajjar, Dadri, Rewari, Bhiwadi, Rohtak, Bahadurgarh – strived of surface water,” reiterated the former Cabinet minister.

Captain Ajay Singh said, “We have rights over Sutlej water and Chandigarh entitled by the Supreme Court of India. And we are not going to sacrifice an inch of Chandigarh. Kejriwal must abstain from making superfluous statements and direct his party-led government in Punjab and complete construction of Sutlej Yamuna canal.”

AAP eyeing Haryana

After a phenomenal victory in the Punjab state Assembly, the AAP is eyeing Haryana. The state is going to Assembly polls in October 2024 – almost two and half years from now.

Undoubtedly, the victory in Punjab has ignited the political momentum in Haryana. Many candidates who were denied tickets in the last Assembly polls by their respective parties or who lost the elections and those who want to secure a career in politics wish to try their luck with the AAP in Haryana as they sensed the wind in favourable direction after the Punjab poll result.

In the last three weeks, people have rushed to join AAP. Many top political veterans displayed their show of strength while a few big names currently in the ruling and non-ruling parties – Chaudhary Virender Singh, Rao Narbir, Umesh Aggarwal, Rao Inderjit Singh, Rakesh Daultabad, Ashok Khemka and many more, claimed to be in touch with Arvind Kejriwal.

Given the situation, the resolution of Punjab’s AAP government at such a premature stage has changed things.

A senior AAP leader in Haryana told The Federal on condition of anonymity that the resolution has applied sudden brakes to the party’s expansion plan in Haryana because the subject is touchy and close to the heart of every Haryanvi.

“The resolution issue has handcuffed us. We are from Haryana and we know Chandigarh is an integral part of Haryana. The division of Punjab and Haryana High Court and Secretariat is 60:40 between the states of Punjab and Haryana. Haryana has been playing a key role in supplying canal water to Delhi. So the resolution will definitely dent our plan in the state, as people ask us of our vision on Chandigarh and we do not wish to reply in yes or no,” said the senior AAP leader, adding that they would continue to do hard work for the party.

Previous resolutions

The resolutions in this regard were passed in the state Assembly earlier too but this time the political scenario has changed in Punjab totally. Predominantly the Congress bastion, the state has shifted to AAP, which has been in power for over seven years in Delhi.

The resolution was passed on Friday (April 1). The sole objective of the all-party consented resolution is to claim Chandigarh, a Union Territory that serves also as the capital city for both Punjab and Chandigarh, as its integral part. AAP chief and Delhi Chief Minister Kejriwal himself is from Haryana, demographically a totally separate region, predominantly a Hindi-speaking belt.

The state Assembly of Punjab has passed such resolutions six times in the past – May 18, 1967, January 19, 1970, September 7, 1978, October 31, 1985, March 6, 1986, and December 23, 2014 – non-official resolutions for the transfer of Chandigarh and other Punjabi-speaking areas to Punjab were passed in the state Assembly of Punjab.

“Seventh time, Punjab is making an attempt to create flutter and it is a political gimmick only. Over the water crisis, the state of Haryana and Delhi always have been on a war footing while on the entitlement over Chandigarh the state of Punjab always took the wrong step with Haryana,” said senior BJP leader and former chairman of Haryana dairy board, GL Sharma.

But the resolution has indeed united the political parties in Haryana. The Congress, BJP, JJP INLD have made plans to condemn the resolution in the state by making mass movements and cornering Kejriwal on the SYL water issue during this peak summer.