Case pending with Supreme Court, Oppn in Haryana politicising SYL issue: CM Manohar Lal Khattar

Without naming anybody, Khattar “ridiculed” INLD’s call to dig the canal and said that such an act could cause more confusion and tension in the state.

The state’s main opposition party Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) had said it would start digging the SYL canal on February 23 if the Centre fails to carry out the task. The party plans to start digging the canal from Ismailpur village on the Punjab-Haryana border.

However, Khattar alleged that opposition parties were politicising and complicating the SYL issue.

“As assembly elections have already been announced, the opposition parties are trying to politicise this issue for their vested interests,” Khattar said adding that the Supreme Court had already given its decision in favour of Haryana.

“The statements being made by the opposition leaders would make the issue more complicated. It is time to wait for the Supreme Court’s verdict which hopely would be in favour of Haryana,” added Khattar.

He said that it was very astonishing that the issue of presidential reference had been pending for the past 12 years.

“It appeared that the previous governments did nothing to resolve the issue. However, the current government had, soon after assuming office, pursued the case with the Supreme Court and the Punjab Termination of Agreements Act, 2004, was nullified,” he added. Now, the issue is with the Supreme Court and the next date of hearing is on January 29.

Khattar also said that he had already led a delegation of all political parties to urge the President to make the SYL canal functional at the earliest. “A written request was also made to the Prime Minister seeking his appointment for the same,” he added.

Quota stir officers with satisfactory replies will be reinstated: CM

Indicating relief to police officers and civil servants suspended for their alleged negligence in handling the violent Jat quota stir in February last year, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar said Saturday that the officers with satisfactory replies would be reinstated.