Clear stand on HP's claim on Chandigarh, Bhagwant Mann dares Partap Singh Bajwa

Chandigarh, July 1

Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Saturday dared Leader of Opposition (LoP) and senior Congress leader Partap Singh Bajwa to clarify the stand of his party on the claim of Himachal Pradesh Government over Chandigarh.

In a statement, the Chief Minister said that silence of Bajwa over the issue is surprising. He said that Bajwa must clear the stand of his party over the “false” claim made by the Congress government in Himachal.

Integral part

Chandigarh was and will always be an integral part of the state. The Punjab Government is firmly committed to safeguard the interests of the state and its people. Bhagwant Mann, CM

Mann said that Chandigarh is, Chandigarh was and Chandigarh will always be an integral part of the state. He categorically said that the state government is firmly committed to safeguarding the interests of the state and its people.

AAP Punjab chief spokesperson Malvinder Singh Kang said the claim of Himachal Pradesh’s Congress government on Chandigarh is absurd and baseless.

In a statement issued from AAP’s Chandigarh office, Kang said that only Punjab has all the rights on Chandigarh, which was built by depopulating the villages of Punjab, but unfortunately, during the 60s, the Congress government at the Centre “cheated” Punjab by giving parts of Chandigarh to Haryana.

Kang further questioned Bajwa if he is also involved in these schemes being carried out by the Himachal Congress government. “We assure Punjabis that AAP and the Mann government will always guard the interests of Punjab,” said the statement.

Meanwhile, Congress leader and former Speaker of Punjab Vidhan Sabha, Rana KP Singh, said in an statement that the Himachal Pradesh Government should have avoided creating a controversy over Chandigarh as it is a sensitive matter for Punjab and every Punjabi. “Punjab can also demand a stake in Shimla as it has been an important city with regards to joint Punjab’s history,” he said.