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Will fight for Punjab’s rightful claim over Chandigarh: CM Bhagwant Mann on central service rules for UT employees
CM Bhagwant Mann said that the central government’s service rules for UT employees goes against the letter and spirit of the Punjab Reorganisation Act
Chandigarh
A day after Union home minister Amit Shah announced that the central service rules will be applicable to employees of the UT administration, chief minister Bhagwant Mann said that Punjab will fight strongly for its rightful claim over Chandigarh.
In a brief reaction, Mann said the central government’s decision goes against the letter and spirit of the Punjab Reorganisation Act, 1966.
“Central Govt has been stepwise imposing officers and personnel from other states and services in Chandigarh administration. This goes against the letter and spirit of Punjab Reorganisation Act, 1966. Punjab will fight strongly for its rightful claim over Chandigarh,” he tweeted on Monday.
Shah made the announcement during his one-day visit to Chandigarh on Sunday, fulfilling a long-pending demand of employees’ unions.
More than 16,000 UT employees, including those with the municipal corporation, who are governed by the Punjab service rules, stand to benefit from the Centre’s decision to be implemented from April 1.
Will fight from streets to Parliament: Cheema
Punjab finance minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Harpal Singh Cheema accused the BJP-led central government of adopting “dictatorial attitude” and continuously imposing its anti-Punjab decisions.
Cheema said the AAP would oppose the central government’s decision of making the central services rules applicable to the employees of the Chandigarh administration. “If they do not refrain from such actions, the AAP and the Punjab government will fight from streets to Parliament,” the finance minister said at a press conference at the party office here.
He also referred to the changes in the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) rules. Cheema said the central government was trying to usurp Punjab’s rights over Chandigarh. He claimed that ever since the AAP formed the government in Punjab, the BJP government was feeling “scared” due to its pro-people decisions. “We will force the Centre to roll back its decisions,” he said.
Explore legal remedies: Bajwa to CM
Congress MLA Partap Singh Bajwa requested Mann to consult the advocate general of Punjab and explore all legal remedies available on the “anti-federal decisions” taken by the central government. He asked the chief minister to take an all-party delegation from Punjab to meet with the Prime Minister to make it clear that these decisions are strongly opposed by all parties in the state. He also urged the CM to stake Punjab’s claim over Chandigarh with the central government at the earliest.
Earlier in the day, Punjab Congress MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira urged the CM to break his stoic silence over the alleged gross discriminatory decision of the BJP-led NDA government to unilaterally impose central rules on employees of Chandigarh.
Khaira asked Mann if he was supporting the BJP government on this move. “If no, please make your stand clear because this step will weaken our claim on Chandigarh,” he tweeted.
The Congress leader, in another tweet, said that Punjab was a 60% stakeholder in Chandigarh and any unilateral decision, therefore, violated the law and Constitution. “You must reiterate your claim on Chandigarh as it was built for PB its our heritage (sic),” the Bholath MLA posted.
