Taking a strong stand against UT Administrative structure and worsening state of affairs in Administration’s functioning, the Chandigarh Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday demanded immediate removal of Punjab Governor and UT Administrator Shivraj Patil and revival of chief commissioner post in Chandigarh.
In a meeting with Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijuju in Chandigarh, the city BJP leaders demanded that Shivraj Patil should be removed from the post of UT Administrator at the earliest and a chief commissioner should be appointed in the city. The city BJP and several city organisations have time and again demanded revival of the chief commissioner post in Chandigarh. Also, the party had recently sent a complaint to the Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh accusing the UT Administration led by Patil of adopting undemocratic attitude.
During the meeting with MoS on Friday, the party leaders alleged that Patil has failed to address the long pending demands of city residents and the Administration is working inefficiently under him.The former Union Home Minister, Patil (78), had taken the oath as Punjab Governor and UT Administrator on January 22, 2010 and around five months are left in his tenure.
The clouds of uncertainty are already looming over the continuation of Patil’s tenure after the NDA came to power at the Centre. Notably, the Centre is contemplating restoring the post of chief commissioner to bring Chandigarh under its direct control. Since the inception of Chandigarh as union territory, chief commissioner was the Administrator of Chandigarh. However, in the year 1984 after notification dated May 30, 1984, the post of Administrator was snatched and given to Arjun Singh, the then Governor of Punjab and the chief commissioner who was in fact the Administrator of Chandigarh was re-designated as Adviser to the Administrator.
While talking to The Pioneer, Sanjay Tandon, Chandigarh BJP president said that the party unit and representatives of several city organisations has demanded that chief commissioner post should be revived in Chandigarh at the earliest and Patil should be removed from his post.”
He said, “The MoS was apprised about the nonchalant attitude of senior functionaries of Administration. Under Patil, the Administration has adopted an autocratic approach and has neglected the demands of city denizens. The party also raised issues of traders, industrialists, constitution of Metropolitan Planning Committee, non-implementation of MSMED Act with the Minister.” The MoS has assured to look into the matter and convene another meeting on various issues, added Tandon.
This is not the first time when the BJP has targeted the Administrator. During the Administrator Advisory Council meet in June, the BJP leaders had walked out of the meeting accusing Patil of adopting dictatorial attitude.The party had earlier picked apart the Administration on the issues including non-implementation of MSMED Act, demand of allowing need-based changes, building bylaws violation notices, Master Plan, Metro project and hefty penalty to commercial units, to name a few.