The ruling Aam Aadmi Party in Punjab Monday said the state has the sole right over Chandigarh and Haryana “will not be given an inch of land” to construct an additional legislative Assembly building in the Union Territory, which also serves as the joint capital of the two states. Separately, Congress leader Partap Singh Bajwa wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying that Haryana's land swap proposal for constructing the Assembly building is fraught with the danger of disturbing the "already worrisome" law and order situation in Punjab. Another opposition party in Punjab, the Shiromani Akali Dal, has called a meeting of its senior leaders later this week to decide its strategy on the issue. The BJP-JJP ruled Haryana has sought a 10-acre plot in Chandigarh for constructing a new building of its Vidhan Sabha. It has identified land adjacent to the traffic light at Madhya Marg near the railway station road junction and offered a 10-acre site in Panchkula in exchange. Earlier, Haryana Assembly Speaker Gian Chand Gupta had met Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit, who is also UT Administrator, on November 19 and discussed with him the allotment of land for the new building. Punjab AAP's chief spokesperson Malvinder Singh Kang said the party and the stste government will vehemently oppose the Haryana proposal. "The Haryana government has sought land for (building) its separate legislative assembly in Chandigarh. On the demand for land, the AAP has categorically said that not an inch of land in Chandigarh will be given to Haryana. Haryana can set up its legislative assembly in Panchkula, Karnal or elsewhere,” Kang said. He said Punjab has the sole right over Chandigarh, which was established on the land of dozens of villages of Punjab. At the northern zone council meeting in Jaipur in July, Union Home Minister Amit Shah had announced land for setting up an additional building for the Haryana Assembly in Chandigarh. Currently, both Punjab and Haryana have their Vidhan Sabhas in the same complex. Meanwhile, Bajwa, who is also the Leader of Opposition in Punjab Vidhan Sabha, Monday sought PM Modi's “critical evaluation” of Haryana's demand and urged him to reject it. “The proposal is fraught with the danger of disturbing the already worrisome law and order situation in Punjab,” Bajwa said in his letter. He said on January 29, 1970, nearly three years after Haryana came into being, the Centre had issued a communication declaring that Haryana, in due course, would have its capital and Chandigarh would continue to remain the capital of Punjab. “At that time, various alternatives, including the division of the city, were considered. However, keeping in view the fact that Chandigarh was built as a planned city, it was not considered viable. From 1952 to 1966 (till Haryana was carved out of Punjab), Chandigarh remained the capital of Punjab. Even after the declaration of Chandigarh as a Union Territory, Chandigarh has continued to be the capital of Punjab. It is in this background that a decision was taken by the Centre to the effect that Haryana would continue using offices and residential accommodation in Chandigarh only for five years till it shifts to its capital. Besides, a loan was offered to Haryana for setting up new capital. This arrangement also recognized the spirit of federalism,” Bajwa said. On Shah's statement at northern zone council meeting, Bajwa said, “Home Minister has overlooked the communication made by the Centre on January 29, 1970.as it would obviate the need to create acrimony between the two neighouring states, already grappling with the monster of drugs and cross-border terrorist activities. Moreover, many other global issues are weighing on the mind of the Centre. Therefore, it would serve no purpose in reviving the issue already well settled.” Meanwhile, Akali leader Daljit Singh Cheema said SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal will meet senior party leaders on November 24 to decide the strategy on the issue.
