Bill on Chandigarh's administrative control: Punjab Congress seeks Centre's clarification

Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring on Saturday sought clarification from the Union Government over reports suggesting that the proposed 131st amendment to the Constitution of India would separate Chandigarh from Punjab by appointing a separate administrator.

Expressing hope that the Central Government has no such plan — which he termed completely uncalled for — he appealed to Union Home Minister Amit Shah to clarify the situation.

“Chandigarh belongs to Punjab and any attempt to snatch it away will have serious repercussions,” he warned, adding that he hoped the Central Government would not undertake any such misadventure.

He urged Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann to immediately take up the matter with the Centre to “nip the proposal, if any, in the bud before it is too late”.

The PCC president expressed strong apprehensions in the backdrop of an earlier order by the Union Education Ministry scrapping the Senate and Syndicate of Panjab University. Those orders were later withdrawn after triggering strong resentment and resistance from Punjab.

“Successive governments at the Centre have from time to time committed and reiterated that Chandigarh belongs exclusively to Punjab, and the delay in having it transferred to its parent state in no way weakens Punjab’s case or cause,” he asserted, urging the Central Government to clarify the situation and, if any such proposal exists, to abandon it immediately and forthwith.