Land in Chandigarh: BJP, AAP united against Centre move, divided over Mann’s ‘mistake’

While Punjab BJP president Sunil Jakhar connected Thursday said that the Centre’s clearance volition dilute the state’s assertion connected Chandigarh, SSP spokesperson Neel Garg, successful a statement, said that Chandigarh is not conscionable a portion of onshore but is tied to the emotions of 3 crore Punjabis.“I judge that successful bid to support beardown relations betwixt Punjab and the Centre, this determination should beryllium reconsidered, and I entreaty to the Prime Minister to personally intervene and person this determination reversed,” Jakhar said successful station connected X.

Known for airing his autarkic views, Jakhar added, “In an effort to heal Punjab’s past wounds, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has taken steps for the societal and spiritual prosperity of Punjabis. However, this determination volition weaken Punjab’s close implicit Chandigarh and would wounded the sentiments of Punjabis.”

Slamming CM Bhagwant Mann, helium further wrote, “Due to the illogical and absurd basal of the AAP CM, connected an contented wherever each governmental parties of Punjab were united, Punjab’s assertion connected Chandigarh has weakened. During the Northern Zonal Council gathering successful Jaipur successful July 2022, erstwhile Haryana demanded onshore for its legislative assembly successful the beingness of the Union Home Minister, Mann, alternatively of opposing it, requested onshore for a Punjab assembly successful Chandigarh arsenic well, efficaciously supporting Haryana’s demand. Why should the radical of Punjab carnivore the consequences of this Punjab-opposing stance taken by an inexperienced CM?”

“Chandigarh belongs to us. Why should we inquire for onshore for our Vidhan Sabha from a spot that is already ours? Mann should person opposed to Haryana’s demand. I volition powerfully instrumentality up the substance with PM Modi and question his involution to person this onshore allotment cancelled,” Jakhar told The Indian Express.

Accusing the BJP authorities astatine the Centre of conspiring against Punjab, Garg said that Chandigarh was built by displacing 22 villages from Kharar, and is politically, socially, economically, and culturally linked to Punjab.

“Chandigarh belongs to Punjab successful each consciousness of the word. When Haryana was carved retired of Punjab arsenic a abstracted state, determination was a committedness that Chandigarh would yet beryllium handed implicit to Punjab aft Haryana got its ain capital. Until then, Chandigarh would stay a Union Territory. Instead of honour this committedness and returning Chandigarh to Punjab, the BJP authorities is deliberately creating a dispute. The radical of Punjab volition ne'er tolerate this,” helium said, adding if Haryana authorities is providing 12 acres successful Panchkula for the legislative assembly, wherefore are they not constructing their Assembly determination instead?

Appealing to the absorption successful Punjab to unite connected the issue, helium said that the substance is not a enactment oregon an idiosyncratic but for 3 crore Punjabis. He besides appreciated Jakhar for speaking retired against the decision, saying that helium has shown the BJP’s cardinal enactment the mirror, and they should earnestly perceive to Jakhar.

He besides warned the Centre to not artifact with the emotions of Punjabis and demanded that this determination beryllium revoked immediately.

SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami has condemned the Centre determination and called it a nonstop onslaught connected Punjab’s rights. Dhami said this determination is simply a blatant disregard for Punjab and its people, arsenic Chandigarh was established connected onshore belonging to Punjab villages, and truthful the city’s ownership rests solely with Punjab.

Meanwhile, elder SKM person Balbir Singh Rajewal connected Thursday said that the mentation to springiness onshore to Haryana was a portion of a conspiracy to snatch from Punjab its rightful capital, built by uprooting Punjab’s villages.

He said that they would beryllium readying a protestation successful Chandigarh successful the coming days to rise respective issues, including Punjab’s close connected Chandigarh.

Addressing media successful Chandigarh, Rajewal said, “We volition clasp a gathering of SKM soon successful which we volition program the adjacent morcha which volition beryllium successful Chandigarh.”

He added that the Centre’s program to snatch Punjab’s superior was palmy arsenic Mann demanded onshore for the operation of a abstracted assembly for Punjab connected lines of Haryana to dilute Punjab’s assertion connected Chandigarh. “I bash not cognize if helium said it retired of ignorance oregon helium was made to accidental this. His request has go a large crushed that Punjab would suffer its capital,” helium said, adding that each governmental parties successful Punjab should beryllium made liable for this arsenic it was for them that “our superior is being fixed distant owed to their governmental interests”.

He added that astir ministers successful the Punjab authorities are “as incompetent arsenic the CM. “Not lone could they rise the issues with the Centre but owed to their incompetence, it was for the archetypal clip that farmers had to hold till November to merchantability their paddy crop. Even present grains are overflowing successful the mandis. By abolishing the Panjab University Senate, they are making an effort to weaken the autonomy of a large acquisition institution,” helium said.