United in its call against Punjab move on Chandigarh, Haryana Cong divided within

The Union Territory of Chandigarh is the common capital of Punjab and Haryana.

“We have seen and discussed the resolution passed in the Punjab Assembly regarding Chandigarh, which we strongly oppose. Chandigarh belongs to Haryana. The resolution is a political gimmick and has no meaning or standing,” Hooda said after chairing the CLP meeting at the Haryana Bhawan in Delhi, which attended by around 25 leaders.

Hooda said Congress’ leaders from Haryana will first meet the Governor against this move and later the prime minister and the president.

“The Shah Commission has already given Chandigarh to Haryana. There are separate issues of disputes — water, territory and the capital, and of these getting water for Haryana is our first priority,” he added.

Meanwhile, Rajya Sabha MP Deepinder Singh Hooda moved an adjournment motion in the Upper House of Parliament to discuss the issue, but the same was rejected by Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu.

In his notice, Deepender said the Punjab resolution is a “gross violation of the Punjab Reorganisation Act of 1966 and this act of Punjab is likely to disturb the peace, harmony and stability in the entire region”. He also claimed that “the rightful claim of Haryana over the UT of Chandigarh and its rightful share of river waters is legally entitled and protection under the Constitution”.
In a separate meeting in Chandigarh, Kumari Selja said the issues of Chandigarh, the Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal and the transfer of the Hindi-speaking villages from Punjab to Haryana are “inter-linked”.

Stating that the Punjab resolution is unconstitutional, she said it also infringes on the rights of Haryana. “The way the Punjab government has staked claim on Chandigarh, we strongly condemn it,” she said.

Pawan Bansal, the AICC incharge for Haryana, said, “People of Haryana are emotionally connected with Chandigarh. Anybody who turns a blind eye towards such strong feelings will not be accepted. Nobody can snatch away Chandigarh from Haryana”.

In the meeting led by Selja, the state Congress passed three resolutions including one that condemned the move by the Aam Aadmi Party government seeking immediate transfer of Chandigarh to Punjab. It also aske Kejriwal to clarify his stand on the SYL canal and Hindi speaking areas that Punjab is yet to transfer to Haryana. The second resolution asked Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar to clarify what steps were taken by his party’s government at the Centre and in the state to get the Supreme Court verdict regarding SYL implemented. It asked CM to tell people of Haryana whether he took up the issue with the Centre. It also asked Khattar if he has a road map on how Haryana is going to take up the battle to get its legitmate rights, be it SYL’s water or Hindi speaking areas.

The third resolution said that Haryana holds complete right on Chandigarh and that the Hindi speaking areas in Punjab should be clearly demarcated and transferred to Haryana and Supreme Court’s verdict on SYL be immediately implemented by Punjab government.

Selja said a copy of the resolution has been sent to Hooda “so that he can raise all these issues in the Vidhan Sabha’s special session”.

Asked why two separate meetings were being held, Congress general secretary-incharge of Haryana affairs, Vivek Bansal, said it is good that these issues are being raised forcefully by the party at the state capital and the national capital.

Selja said the party will run a campaign in Haryana at district headquarters from April 11-13 to make people aware of these issues — Chandigarh, SYL and transfer of Hindi-speaking villages.

Selja said, “Congress party’s stand is one”, and the party will fight for the rights of Haryana.

Earlier, addressing a gathering of party workers, Selja said that “both AAP and BJP mislead people and both are masters of telling lies.” “They are two sides of the same coin. To divert the attention of the public from issues, the Punjab government brought this resolution,” she said.

Selja said the “anti-Haryana face” of the AAP has come to the fore after the Punjab assembly passed the resolution. Kejriwal talks about coming to Haryana and standing with the people of Haryana, but on every issue he stands against Haryana, she alleged.

Attacking the BJP, she said Haryana is yet to get SYL water even after BJP governments in the state and Centre for the last eight years.

Despite Bansal and Selja’s assertions on party being united in Haryana, the friction within the state unit has often come to fore. Barely two weeks ago, party leaders, belonging to the factions led by Hooda and Selja, had aired their differences in a meeting chaired by Rahul Gandhi in New Delhi. Both factions demanded more power and supremacy in the party affairs of the state. Rahul Gandhi had then asked the leaders to remain united and put up a collective effort in the upcoming Vidhan Sabha polls.