Haryana CM Khattar slams Punjab govt’s Chandigarh move, seeks apology from Mann, Kejriwal
The Bhagwant Mann-led Punjab government recently passed a resolution seeking immediate transfer of Chandigarh to the state, a move that has been opposed by Haryana.
Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Saturday demanded an apology from Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener Arvind Kejriwal and Punjab's newly elected chief minister Bhagwant Mann over a resolution moved in the Assembly seeking transfer of Chandigarh to Punjab.
Calling it a condemnable move, Khattar said they should not have done this. ”The Rajiv–Longowal Accord was signed 35 to 36 years ago, as per which it (Chandigarh) is the capital of both Haryana and Punjab. I had said it yesterday too, there are several issues related to it,” Khattar said, speaking to news agency ANI.
“Party chief Arvind Kejriwal should condemn it, or they should apologise to the people of Haryana. Punjab CM should also apologise to the people of Haryana. What they have done is condemnable,” he added.
If they want to do something like this, they should first go to the Supreme Court and resolve the Sutlej-Yamuna link issue, the Haryana CM further said.
On Friday, the Punjab Assembly passed a resolution seeking immediate transfer of Chandigarh to the state, days after Union home minister Amit Shah approved central service rules for employees of the Union territory, a move described as an encroachment on the state's rights by several parties.
Khattar has repeatedly said Chandigarh will remain the joint capital of Haryana and Punjab. He also hailed the Centre’s move to make central service rules applicable on the UT's employees and accused the Punjab government of misleading people over the issue.
He said the Punjab government has not yet given the benefit of 7th Pay Commission to its employees, while Haryana had implemented the recommendations in 2016.
Haryana and Himachal Pradesh were carved out of Punjab over five decades ago. Subsequently, Chandigarh was made the joint capital of Punjab and Haryana. People of Himachal Pradesh have also claimed their share over the city several times.