Rupnagar (Punjab) [India], June 20 : Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Daljit Singh Cheema on Friday lashed out at Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, calling his remarks on the proposed inter-state canal project "unreasonable".
"Omar Abdullah's statement is unreasonable. We did not expect him to comment on Punjab, as river water distribution has earlier also been in favour of other states like Rajasthan, Haryana and Delhi," Cheema said.
He was responding to Abdullah's strong opposition to the 113-km canal project proposed to divert surplus water from the Indus river system in J-K to Punjab, Haryana, and Rajasthan.
He further said that the CM should not raise issues that go "against the rights of other states."
"Punjab has already suffered injustice...He should not raise issues that are against the rights of other states. Punjab should be taken utmost care of," Cheema said.
Earlier in the day, speaking in Jammu, CM Abdullah had firmly opposed the plan, stating, "I will never permit this. Let us use our water for ourselves first. We want to work on Tulbul navigation and to get water for jammu from Akhnoor. There is a drought-like situation in Jammu."
He referred to Punjab already receiving water under the Indus Water Treaty, and questioned if Punjab had reciprocated when J&K needed help.
He said, "Why should I send water to Punjab? Punjab already had water under the Indus Water Treaty. Did they give us water when we needed it?"
The Indus Waters Treaty, brokered by the World Bank and signed in 1960, governs the distribution of water from the Indus River system between India and Pakistan. The treaty has withstood multiple wars and diplomatic crises, but recent tensions have prompted fresh discussions on its future.