Chandigarh, July 21—The Haryana Chief Minister, Mr Bhupinder Singh Hooda, has said “water is our first and topmost priority, and we will fight to the last to get every drop of our share of the water due to the people of the state.”
He was replying to a question by a media person on the waters issue with Punjab, in Rohtak today. The Chief Minister said that the Supreme Court had already adjudicated the matter in favour of Haryana. “We are engaged in the task of getting our share and shall accomplish it. The territorial issue could be taken up later but let us first resolve the waters issue”, Mr Hooda added.
While replying to a question regarding the Punjab Government’s proposal to develop “New Chandigarh” adjacent to Chandigarh, the joint capital of the two states, Mr Hooda described Chandigarh as a “brand name”, and said there was no need to copy its name. It is unethical to do so. “If Punjab wants to develop Mullanpur as New Chandigarh, it should first vacate Chandigarh and not claim any right on it by handing it over to Haryana. Then, Haryana would not mind its re-naming Mullanpur as New Chandigarh”, the Chief Minister said. Giving the example of Delhi, he said that when the British shifted from Delhi, they re-named it New Delhi and vacated Old Delhi. Punjab should follow the same, he added.