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Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on Wednesday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to review the decision of appointing an administrator of Chandigarh, saying the capital city belongs to Punjab and its right over it can never be “diluted or compromised with”. In a statement, Badal also asked the Centre not to “disturb” the time tested convention and practice of keeping the Governor of Punjab as the Administrator of the Union Territory of Chandigarh.
While urging Modi to review the decision, he said it violates the premise under which the arrangement was originally made, which was that Chandigarh belongs to Punjab and has to be transferred to the state. Badal also spoke to Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh over the issue this evening. He reiterated that Chandigarh belongs to Punjab and the right of the state on its capital city can never be “diluted or compromised”.
Holding the successive Congress governments’ squarely responsible for “injustice and discrimination” against Punjab, Badal said Prime Ministers Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi went “back on solemn pledges” made to the people of Punjab on the floor of the parliament regarding the transfer of Chandigarh.
He dismissed Amarinder Singh’s statement on the subject on Wednesday as “nothing more than a case of a crocodile shedding tears. “Will captain Singh please tell Punjabis as to who kept Chandigarh and other Punjabi speaking areas out of Punjab? Will he also tell why the city was not transferred to Punjab on January 26, 1986, as promised under the Rajiv-Longowal Accord which he now talks about? Will he also tell why did he
not resign as senior minister in the Punjab government when the Rajiv Gandhi government at the centre had betrayed Punjabis at the eleventh hour on the midnight of January 25-26, 1986,” Badal said.
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“Amarinder or any other Congress leader has no moral right to speak on the subject,” he said, adding “they are the real culprits for Chandigarh being denied to Punjab as well as other acts of injustice and discrimination against the state.” Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) also condemned the Centre on the appointment of Administrator and described the move as “anti-Punjab”. The party demanded Badals’ should clarify their stand on the decision.
Head, AAP, Campaign Committee and MP Bhagwant Mann in a statement said appointment of an independent Administrator of Chandigarh means “washing out of Punjab’s valid stake on Chandigarh”. Since SAD is alliance partner of NDA, Chief Minister Badal has no moral right to continue with his post, the Sangrur MP said. “Either CM Badal should immediately resign from his post or snap political ties with NDA by withdrawing his
daughter-in-law from Modi’s cabinet,” Mann said. He accused Badals’ of “selling the interests” of Punjab for their personal gains. Congress Legislature Party leader in Punjab Charanjit Singh Channi also opposed the appointment and described it as “yet another injustice to this border state”.
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