Khemkaran (Punjab), February 18 Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal said on Wednesday that if his party forms the government in Punjab in 2027, it will prevent the state's river waters from flowing into Rajasthan and divert the Rajasthan feeder canal water to irrigate Punjab's fields.
Addressing a rally at the Amarkot grain market as part of the party's campaign, Badal alleged that the Congress had discriminated against Punjab by giving away half of its river waters to Rajasthan in violation of the riparian principle, which states that river water belongs to the state through which it flows.
He also said that the SAD would not allow Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann to give Punjab's water to Haryana through the Sutlej Yamuna Link canal.
Badal alleged that the Centre possessed details of Mann's alleged purchase of 2,500 acres of land in Australia and claimed that this was the reason for his "soft stand" on the water issue.
The SAD chief further promised to end the gangster culture and the drug mafia if his party returned to power.
He said that the party would amend laws to deny bail to such offenders for 10 years and to auction their properties.
Accusing the AAP government of trying to hand over valuable land to private companies, he said that the SAD would cancel such deals and take action against officials involved.
He claimed that the party had opposed the proposed transfer of 34,000 acres in Ludhiana and alleged that prime land in Mohali was now being offered at low prices.
Appealing to voters to bring the SAD back to power, Badal said that his party would provide tubewell connections to farmers within a week of forming the government, construct permanent embankments to prevent floods, and grant pending land ownership rights.
He also announced the revival of the atta-dal scheme, with atta at Rs 4 per kg and dal at Rs 20 per kg, and promised Rs 1 lakh wedding assistance for poor families and an increase in old-age pension to Rs 3,100 per month.
For the youth, Badal promised 75 per cent jobs for Punjabis in new industries, interest-free loans of Rs 10 lakh repayable in 10 years, and 50 per cent reservation for meritorious students in government and private engineering and medical colleges.
Senior SAD leader Bikram Singh Majithia also addressed the rally and spoke about farmers' distress, alleging that Punjab needed better governance.