Chandigarh, Nov 1 (PTI) The opposition Congress, BJP and the Shiromani Akali termed a "drama" the open debate called on Wednesday by Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann to discuss issues related to the state.

Punjab BJP chief Sunil Jakhar, Punjab Congress chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring and Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Partap Singh Bajwa, and SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal stayed away from the open debate.

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The 'Main Punjab Bolda Haan' debate was held at an auditorium of Punjab Agricultural University in Ludhiana where Mann hit out at the opposition leaders, accusing them of running away from the discussion.

Mann had dared the opposition leaders for the open debate on issues concerning the state.

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Congress leader Bajwa on Wednesday said Mann's debate was a "drama" and that the Aam Aadmi Party government once again demonstrated its insincerity over the "loot" of Punjab's river waters.

"In Haryana, all parties have been united to grab the river waters from Punjab through the Sutlej Yamuna Link (SYL) Canal, whereas Punjab's arrogant chief minister has been intoxicated with power and has completely disregarded the opposition parties," Bajwa said in a statement.

Punjab BJP chief Jakhar said the people of Punjab were expecting the chief minister to highlight the pain and injustice done to the state, but he failed to do so.

He said Mann acted as a “representative” of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.

Jakhar also slammed Mann for linking his father Balram Jakhar with the SYL issue.

He sought an apology from Mann for taking his father's name regarding the SYL, else he will file a complaint against him.

Mann had claimed that Congress veteran Balram Jakhar was present at the ground-breaking ceremony of the SYL Canal in 1982.

The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) slammed Mann for mouthing “blatant lies” and said the name of the debate should have been titled "Main Jhooth Bolda".

SAD leaders Balwinder Singh Bhundur, Prem Singh Chandumajra, Daljit Singh Cheema and Virsa Singh Valtoha also took on the chief minister for indulging in a slander campaign against former chief minister Parkash Singh Badal over the SYL issue.

They said former Haryana chief minister Devi Lal approached the Supreme Court demanding the construction of a canal to take Punjab waters to Haryana while then Punjab CM Parkash Singh Badal opposed this by filing a petition challenging Section 78 of the Punjab Reorganization Act in 1979.

The leaders said besides failing to tell Punjabis how he would save the waters of the state, the chief minister had also refused to address the burning issues faced by farmers, the youth and poorer sections of society as well as the issue of drug menace and “breakdown” of law and order.

The leaders said Mann had also done a disservice by omitting references to three landmark events which had halted the release of water to Haryana through the SYL canal.

They said these were the opposition to Section 78 of the Punjab Reorganization Act, the 'Kapoori Morcha' and the denotification of land on which the SYL Canal stood – all done by the Shiromani Akali Dal.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)