Punjab: Sukhbir Singh Badal stated on Monday that the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) is committed to rectifying the “historic injustices” inflicted upon Punjab. He held those parties—which he termed “Delhi-based parties”—responsible for these injustices. He accused them of depriving the state of its own capital, excluding Punjabi-speaking areas during the state’s reorganization, and diverting a significant portion of its river waters to other states. Addressing a rally in Faridkot as part of the party’s “Punjab Bachao” (Save Punjab) campaign, he remarked that Punjab is the only state in the country that lacks a capital of its own.
He alleged that during the reorganization of the state, the Congress party sided with Haryana and, despite language being the foundational basis for the process, excluded several Punjabi-speaking areas. He further alleged that nearly half of the water from Punjab’s rivers was “arbitrarily” allocated to Rajasthan—a move that violated the fundamental riparian principle governing the sharing of river waters. Badal criticized efforts to complete the Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) Canal, alleging that the project would result in the diversion of Punjab’s remaining water to Haryana. He asserted, “Had this canal been completed earlier, Punjab would have turned into a desert.”
Party Approaches High Court Over Mansa Block Committee Elections
Chandigarh: The SAD has filed a petition in the High Court challenging the allegedly illegal election of the President and Vice-President of the Mansa Block Committee. The party’s Chief Spokesperson, Arshdeep Singh Kler, stated that the AAP government is attempting to seize control of local bodies by misusing administrative machinery. Out of the 25 members of the committee, the SAD held a strength of 12 members. Two independent members had also joined the SAD fold. The elections were scheduled to be held on March 14. He alleged, “All 14 members arrived at the designated venue in Mansa, and the ADC recorded their attendance. They were subsequently taken into a small room within the District Council building and locked inside.”
Akali Dal Committed to Rectifying Historical Mistakes: Sukhbir Badal
