PANIPAT: Haryana Chief Minister Bhajan Lal said here Dec. 18, that the two militants involved in the attack on the police it Ambala district on December 14 had been arrested.
Addressing a public meeting at Israna, in this district, the Chief Minister said forum or militants involved in the attack were still at large and the police had launched an intensive search to nab them.
Reiterating that he would protect the interests of the state at all cost, he said he had no craze for power and he would not sacrifice the interest of Haryana to save his own chair.
Attacking Haryana Vikas Party president and former Chief Minister Bansi Lal, he accused the latter of selling the interests of the state on the interstate territorial disputes with Punjab.
‘Mr. Bhajan Lal said Mr, Bansi Lal had weakened the case of Haryana on the Chandigarh issue by agreeing to accept merely 70,000 acres of land in lieu of the city without staking the state’s claim on the Abohar and Fazilka areas. Mr. Bansi Lal sent his consent in writing to the Union Government in this behalf, he added.
‘The Chief Minister said there was no denying the fact that 95% work of the ‘Sutlej Yamuna Link canal, which would bring Haryana’s share in surplus Ravi Beras waters, was completed by him, He was at pains to explain the circumstances why the remaining 5% work of the canal could not be executed during his present tenure of office.
He said the digging of canal was stopped due to militant activities and when his talks with former Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh on the issue reached the final stage he was assassinated.
He said he had also held two three meetings with present Punjab Chief Minister Harcharan Singh Brar with a view to expecting completion of the canal.
Mr, Bhajan Lal said when it appeared to him that it was difficult for Mr. Brar to take effective steps in this direction soon, he had no option left but to go to the Supreme Court. He said the Eradi Tribunal had long ago awarded Haryana its share of the Ravi Beas waters, but it was necessary to make SYL canal function for making water flow towards Haryana.
The Chief Minister said that while no work of SYL was done during the tenure of Mr. Bansi Lal, yet he feels the people of Haryana to Punjab to show them the canal being constructed there.
Article extracted from this publication >> December 22, 1995
