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 BJP leaders and workers observed a day-long hunger strike in support of the three farm laws and their demand for Haryana’s share of water from Punjab through the Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal on Saturday.

These included BJP MLA from Gurugram Sudhir Singla, Satya Prakash Jarawta MLA from Pataudi and Sanjay Singh Rathore, MLA from Sohna, Municipal Corporation Gurugram (MCG) Mayor Madhu Azad and several councillors.

The fast was held under a tent put up by party workers near Rajiv Chowk. It was also joined by some farmers and advocates.

“Today we are observing a day’s fast and dharna here in Gurugram to counter the farmers’ protest against the Centre’s new farm laws and to demand the construction of the SYL canal in Punjab and Haryana’s share of water,” said Singla.

To a question on whether the BJP is trying to provoke the state’s farmers over SYL canal issue against the Punjab farmers, Jarawta said, “The Supreme Court in 2016 had passed an order in favour of Haryana over SYL canal issue but it was Punjab who didn’t heed the top court’s orders. So we are just putting pressure on the Punjab government to meet our demands at the earliest.”

Party workers who participated in the hunger strike raised slogans against the Punjab government and said that Haryana also has right to the waters of the SYL canal and sooner or later they will take up the issue.

BJP district president Gargi Kakkar said that the party is not doing politics over the SYL issue.

“This issue was a long pending demand of the state. The Congress party also failed to meet this biggest demand of the farmers. The BJP is fighting for the farmers but the Amarinder Singh-led Punjab government is still not paying any heed to the farmers’ demands,” Kakkar said.
IANS