Come elections, and Chandigarh is a capital issue, once again. But what makes the debate over its control all the more interesting is that both Haryana and Punjab fighting for supremacy have Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) in common.
Not to be left behind, the Congress too has jumped in the fray. The emerging stands bring arch rivals Congress and the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on one platform; and the latter’s alliance partner in Haryana on another.
Even as the politics over transfer of Chandigarh or gaining its control is heating up with each passing day, ever since the Centre announced Punjab’s new Governor, the saffron party is maintaining a strategic silence.
After Haryana Chief Minister Manohar lal Khattar opined that the control of joint Capital be given to the Governors of Punjab and Haryana “on a rotation basis”, his Punjab counterpart on Tuesday categorically asserted that “Chandigarh was, is and will ever remain an integral part of Punjab”. Badal, mincing no words, said that any deviation from existing practice of appointing State Governor as the Administrator of Chandigarh was “not at all acceptable”.
He said that though as per States Reorganisation Act, every parent State has sole right over its capital city “but grave injustice had
been meted out to Punjab by denying Chandigarh to the State”.
“Punjab has the sole right over its Capital and it must be given to the State at every cost,” said Badal, in Muktsar.
The five-time Chief Minister said that till Chandigarh was not given to the State, around four decades old practice of appointing Punjab Governor as the Administrator of Chandigarh should be continued.
Punjab Deputy Chief Minister and SAD president Sukhbir Badal did not stay behind to declare that capital city Chandigarh “belongs to Punjab forever and Punjab would get its legitimate right”.
Khattar’s suggestion of making Chandigarh Administrator’s post on rotation from Punjab and Haryana also failed to find favour of the main opposition party, the Congress.
The state Congress chief Capt Amarinder Singh dismissed Khattar’s “idea” while asking him to read history as this step will be in violation of Rajiv-longowal Accord.
“As per the Rajiv-longowal Accord, Chandigarh was given to Punjab, and Haryana was given 10 years’ time to set up its new capital,” pointed Capt Amarinder, adding that that was why Punjab Governor was appointed UT Administrator.
At the same time, Capt Amarinder lashed out at the Akali, especially the Badals, for raising this issue time and again, to divert attention from the real issues.
Of late, the Centre had initiated a process to delink the UT Administrator’s post from Punjab Governor by announcing a retired IAS turned BJP leader’s name for as Chandigarh’s Administrator.
The post has been held by successive Governors of Punjab for over three decades, since 1984, after militancy period.
Bowing to the SAD’s pressure, the BJP-led Central Government put off the appointment of bureaucrat-turned-politician KJ Alphons Kannanthanam as Administrator, and announced to give charge to the new Punjab Governor VP Singh Badnore, who sworn-in on Monday.