A fresh political storm engulfed Punjab as SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal lambasted CM Bhagwant Mann for invoking Bhai Kanhaiya to rationalize SYL canal concessions to Haryana. In a pointed X message, Badal branded the analogy ‘an affront to Sikh principles and Punjab’s honor.’
‘Compassion for the dying is one thing; gifting away our rivers is treason,’ Badal wrote, invoking Guru Gobind Singh’s balanced teachings on kindness and valor. He insisted Mann owes an apology for historical revisionism.
Praising his father’s legacy, Badal noted how the SAD de-notified SYL and restored farmer lands, ‘permanently safeguarding Punjab’s waters.’
The trigger was Mann’s optimistic post-meeting remarks with Haryana CM Nayab Saini. ‘Long-standing issue saw constructive talks. As Bhai Kanhaiya’s descendants, we offer water without bias—Haryana is kin,’ Mann remarked.
Badal connected dots to Congress-era weaknesses under Darbara Singh, vowing SAD’s unrelenting opposition. This clash highlights AAP’s tightrope walk on inter-state issues.
With Punjab’s rivers central to its economy and identity, the SYL remains explosive. Badal’s offensive bolsters SAD’s image as Punjab’s defender, contrasting AAP’s conciliatory tone amid farmer unrest and judicial pendency.