Cong hits out at INLD for stand on naming airport

Sushil Manav

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 17

War of words has begun between the Congress and Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) over the name of Chandigarh International Airport.

The Congress today hit back at the INLD’s Abhay Chautala for justifying a Punjab Government’s action of referring the airport as ‘Mohali International Airport’ in its advertisements and hoardings, and castigating former CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda for “wasting” Rs 250 crore on the project.

“By justifying the Punjab Government’s claim over Chandigarh International Airport, Chautala has made it clear he is more concerned about his family’s ties with the Badals than the interests of the state,” alleged Ran Singh Mann, a spokesperson for the Congress. He is a Hooda loyalist.

Mann said people of Haryana knew well the INLD always backed the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on political matters. “His support to the Badals on airport’s name has made it clear that the INLD’s breaking of ties with the SAD on SYL Canal was a drama.”

He said people should not be surprised if the INLD supported the Badals on the SYL. Mann said that soon after an Airport Authority of India’s (AAI) survey, when land in Mohali adjoining the airport was earmarked for expansion, an agreement was reached that the airport would be named ‘Chandigarh International Airport’.

It was also decided that the AAI would bear 51 per cent of the cost, while Haryana and Punjab would contribute equally.

He said the two states had later agreed to name it ‘Shahid-e-Azam Bhagat Singh Airport, Chandigarh’. But before the Civil Aviation Ministry could take a decision, the BJP government in Haryana kicked up an unnecessary controversy by suggesting the airport be named after late BJP leader Mangal Sein. The government’s move was scuttled.