Kejriwal not supporting Punjab on SYL issue, says Amarinder

Chandigarh, Nov 13 : Questioning the silence of AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal on the controversial Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal, Punjab Congress President Amarinder Singh on Sunday said that the Delhi Chief Minister was not supporting Punjab on the sharing of the state's river waters.

"Seventy-two hours after the (Supreme Court) judgment came in, and despite widespread criticism of his lack of comment on the matter, Kejriwal has maintained a deafening silence on SYL. This has unmasked his double standards on the vital SYL issue, on which he has been doing a flip-flop for the past several weeks in what can only be considered his desperate bid to save his government in Delhi and keep the people of his birthplace in Haryana happy," Amarinder said in a statement issued here.

Amarinder said that after the Supreme Court's order on the water sharing and SYL issue came last week, Kejriwal had put off his proposed Punjab visit.

"Kejriwal has sent out a clear and unequivocal message that he is not supporting the state on the SYL issue. He continues to remain strangely silent on the Supreme Court verdict on SYL, and has, expectedly, chosen to keep away from the state that is facing an imminent water crisis in the aftermath of the apex court's verdict on the critical issue, which has huge ramifications for Punjab," the Congress leader said.

"The Aam Aadmi Party leader's behaviour is totally in keeping with his habit of running away from problems," Amarinder pointed out.

"For a person who has always loved taking a stand on every issue, and who did not waste a minute reacting to the Modi government's demonetisation move, this persistent silence on SYL is completely inexplicable. He (Kejriwal) should take a categorical stand on the SYL issue," Amariunder Singh said, and added that Kejriwal was aspiring to become the Chief Minister in Punjab without bothering about interests of Punjab.

The ruling Shiromani Akali Dal-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) alliance and the Congress are facing a challenge from the AAP in Punjab's assembly polls which are to be held early next year.