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‘Sentiments of Punjab cannot be ignored’: State BJP chief on row over Centre's proposal for Chandigarh
Punjab BJP chief Sunil Jakhar said he would meet Union home minister Amit Shah.
Amid criticism of his party for their proposed plan to bring Chandigarh under Article 240 of the Constitution, Punjab BJP chief Sunil Jakhar on Sunday said he would meet Union home minister Amit Shah.
"I have sought time from the Union home minister for a meeting," Jakhar told PTI, adding that he wants the decision regarding the bill to be withdrawn.
"To facilitate the administrative requirements of Chandigarh, the sentiments of Punjab cannot be ignored. Chandigarh is just not a geographical piece. Sentiments of Punjab are attached to it. There should be no ambiguity about it," Jakhar was quoted as saying by PTI.
Earlier, Jakhar emphasised in a post on X that Chandigarh is an essential part of Punjab and assured that the' confusion" surrounding the Union Territory will be addressed.
"Chandigarh is an integral part of Punjab, and the Punjab BJP stands firmly with the interests of the state, whether it is the issue of Chandigarh or the waters of Punjab. Whatever confusion has arisen regarding Chandigarh will be resolved by discussing it with the government. As a Punjabi myself, I assure you that for us, Punjab always comes first," Jakhar wrote on X.
Also Read | Centre says 'no intention' of presenting bill on Chandigarh's administration in Parliament's winter session
Meanwhile, BJP leader RP Singh accused the Opposition, including the ruling Aam Aadmi Party in Punjab, of opposing the proposed bill without any knowledge and assuring "no major shift".
"... Bhagwant Mann and other opposition leaders are opposing this bill without any knowledge. No major shift is going to take place. I challenge Bhagwant Mann, Badal, or any other Congress leader to come forward and debate this matter with me…," Singh told ANI.
What has the Centre proposed?
The Central government has announced plans to bring Chandigarh under Article 240 of the Constitution, under which the President will get the power to issue direct regulations for the Union Territory.
A Parliament bulletin revealed that the government intends to introduce the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2025, during the Winter Session beginning December 1, as accessed by news agency PTI.
Also Read | What does Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2025 mean for Chandigarh? Explained
Currently, Chandigarh is run by the Punjab Governor, since the city serves as the shared capital of both Punjab and Haryana.
The proposal ignited political backlash in Punjab, as the ruling AAP, Congress, and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) condemned the BJP-led central government, claiming it aims to “snatch” Chandigarh from Punjab.
However, as the controversy over the proposed move heightened, the Ministry of Home Affairs clarified that the Central government has “no intention” of presenting any bill on Chandigarh's administration in the upcoming Winter session of Parliament.
The MHA said that the proposal is to just simplify the Centre's law-making process for Chandigarh and that it is still “under consideration” with the Central government, adding that “no final decision” has been taken on the proposal.
