The Hindu : New Delhi News : Don't exploit sentiments, Chautala told

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Sep 15, 2004

New Delhi

New Delhi

Don't exploit sentiments, Chautala told

By Our Staff Correspondent

CHANDIGARH, SEPT 14. The senior Congress leader of Punjab, Harchand Singh Barsat, has cautioned the Haryana Chief Minister, O.P. Chautala, against making political capital out of religious sentiments. He said that history was witness that such misadventures had dangerous repercussions.

In a statement here, Mr. Barsat, who is also the Political Secretary to the Punjab Chief Minister, expressed concern over what he described as an attempt by Mr. Chautala to entice voters with political stunts like returning from Pakistan with water from the birthplace of legendary Sikh hero Bhai Khaniya. He said that the Haryana Chief Minister had resorted to such tactics with an eye on the forthcoming elections to the State Assembly, to entice Punjabi voters in general and the Sikhs in particular.

Mr. Barsat said that the "anti-Punjabi'' stance of Mr. Chautala was well known, as Haryana had not introduced Punjabi as the second language as medium of instruction in schools or for official communication, even when the number of citizens in the neighbouring State was next only to Hindi users.

The Congress leader also pointed out that the inclusion of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) MP from Faridkot, Sukhbir Singh, who is the son of the former Chief Minister of Punjab, Parkash Singh Badal, in Mr. Chautala's delegation to Pakistan had exposed the "sinister clique'', which, according to him, was the main hurdle in protecting the rivers waters' and territorial interests of the State. He demanded that the Akali leadership must clarify its stance regarding the alleged collusion of their party chief with Mr. Chautala.

Referring to various allegations made in the past, Mr. Barsat said that recent developments were only another evidence about the manner in which Mr. Badal had bartered away the rights of the people of the State. He sought a clarification that while Mr. Badal indulged in major political rhetoric on the river waters issue, the Haryana Government had provided a special channel to irrigate his farms in Balasar in Sirsa district.

In another statement, convenor of the Panthic Morcha, Ravi Inder Singh, reacted sharply to what he termed as endorsement by Mr. Badal to Mr. Chautala's linking the SYL canal and river waters' apportionment with his politically- motivated campaign to bring `sacred water'. Mr. Singh said that the events depicted Mr. Badal's doublespeak on the various issues related to the welfare of Punjab. He said that it was not only a religious sacrilege but also a betrayal of Punjab which was locked in a life and death legal, political and administrative battle with Haryana over safeguarding the river waters and other rights.

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