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Punjab government’s resolution to claim Chandigarh political stunt: Ashwani Sharma
State BJP chief Ashwani Sharma termed resolution passed by Bhagwant Mann-led state government over Punjab’s rights on Chandigarh a “political stunt and a bid to divert the attention of people from real issues”
State BJP chief Ashwani Sharma on Friday termed the resolution passed by the Bhagwant Mann-led state government over Punjab’s rights on Chandigarh a “political stunt and a bid to divert the attention of the people from real issues”.
Addressing a press conference, Sharma said ‘Punjab should go to Chandigarh’ is an old stand of the BJP in Punjab and the recent announcement of the Centre to bring employees engaged with union territory (UT) Chandigarh under the Union government’s service rules in no way dilutes this stand.
“In no way this new notification dilutes any of the provision of the Punjab Re-organisation Act, 1966. The reality is that the Centre’s service rules were already applied in the UT for 25 years from November 1, 1966, to 31 December 1985,” said Sharma.
He said not only this but the Centre’s pay scales were also applicable in Punjab from January 1, 1986, to March 31, 1991, for UT employees.
“In 1991, UT employees demanded Punjab pay scale as they were higher than the Centre and now, they were agitating for Centre’s scales because now Punjab has not been able to pay the 6th Pay Commission recommendations whereas the Centre has already given salaries as per the 7th Pay Commission. Was Punjab’s stand on Chandigarh diluted when Centre’s pay scales were applicable to UT employees?” asked Sharma.
He said the Centre has already clarified that this announcement would also not be applicable to the employees who come on deputation from Punjab and Haryana in Chandigarh in 60:40 ratio.
The state BJP chief alleged that it had become a tradition in the government that whenever state governments had to cover up their failures, they target the Centre with allegations of being biased.
“On similar lines, the AAP government tried to politically cultivate the issue through this resolution. There is no logic in this move. That is why when I tried to speak inside the assembly with facts, I was not given time. The effort of the government is to misguide the public and exploit the sentiments against the Centre,” said the Pathankot MLA.
