Even as the decision to appoint an independent administrator for the union territory, Chandigarh, was dropped after resistance from political parties in Punjab, the claim over Chandigarh — the joint capital of Punjab and Haryana — is once again in the spotlight.
With less than six months to go for the Punjab polls, the emotive issue is all set to snowball into an election issue with the ruling Akali Dal and the main Opposition party, the Congress, already taking jibes at each other.
While the Congress is forcefully raking up the issue by asking Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal to stake complete claim over Chandigarh, he has accused successive Congress governments of “snatching” Chandigarh from Punjab.
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“There cannot be a better and more conducive situation than now for Mr. Badal to assert Punjab’s legitimate right over the capital —there is an NDA government at the Centre and the Akalis are partners. Besides, there’s a BJP government in Haryana,” Punjab Congress president Capt. Amarinder Singh had said at a recent election campaign programme.
“If he [Mr. Badal] does not get it done now, it means he was never serious about Punjab’s claims over Chandigarh,” Capt. Amarinder said.
Both Punjab and Haryana have been at loggerheads over Chandigarh and have been demanding time and again that the city be made their capital.
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The Akali leadership has been quick to hit back at the Congress with Mr. Badal blaming Congress governments for “injustice and discrimination” against Punjab.
The then Prime Ministers Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi had gone back on the pledge made to the people of Punjab on the floor of Parliament pertaining to the transfer of Chandigarh, he said.
“Despite announcing in Parliament that Chandigarh would be handed over to Punjab, the then Congress Prime Minister backtracked,” Mr. Badal said on the sidelines of a function in Sangrur.
“Nobody can deny that being the parent state, Punjab has the sole right over Chandigarh,” he added.