Former Punjab Assembly Speaker and Shiromani Akali Dal (Punar Surjit) patron Ravi Inder Singh has said the demand for royalty on Gang Canal (Bikaner Canal) water concerns Punjab’s legitimate rights over its natural resources and should not be viewed through a political lens.Referring to historical records, he said an agreement signed on September 4, 1920, between the British Government and the princely states of Bahawalpur and Bikaner provided for the supply of Sutlej water to Bikaner in return for royalty to Punjab. The Gang Canal, completed in 1927, transformed large parts of Rajasthan’s desert region into cultivable land. He said documents released by the Punjab Government referred to Clause 13 of the agreement, which provided for “seigniorage” or royalty payments. These payments reportedly continued until 1960.