BJP raising SYL issue to derail farmers’ agitation: Hooda

New Delhi, Dec 21 (IANS) Amid the farmers agitation, the Congress is keeping a close watch on the political activity in Haryana where many independent MLAs are reported to be upset with the state government over the farmers agitation issue.But to invoke regionalism in the state, the BJP has played the Sutlej Yamuna Link (SYL) canal card, the bone of contention between Punjab and Haryana, which lies unresolved for decades.However sensing the BJP move, Congress leader and former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda has slammed the BJP. “The purpose of the BJP is to derail the farmers agitation and break farmers unity, as after three years of the Supreme Court decision, no action has been taken by the state Government on SYL,” Hooda told IANS. The Congress wants to create differences between the BJP and its ally JJP and independents. Amid the farmers unrest, the Haryana government is surviving on the support of the JJP and independents but the situation doesn’t seem to be in the favour of the Congress.The farmers agitation in Haryana may prove to be counter-productive for the BJP if the government doesn’t intervene and ends the impasse, as many MLAs from JJP and some independents are against farm laws.But there is no immediate danger to the Haryana government since it has the support of the JJP and independents: till the time any block withdraws there won’t be a crisis, say insiders.The JJP is standing firmly behind the BJP despite threats by some MLAs. The Congress needs the support of independents and the JJP to destabilise the government but the path isn’t easy, since the BJP is slightly less than the majority mark. Meanwhile the Centre has invited representatives of the protesting farmers for fresh talks on Monday to end the deadlock as their agitation against the new farm laws entered the 26th day.–IANSmiz/ash