Haryana Assembly: AAP, Cong, SAD object to land in UT

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has strongly opposed the decision to build the Haryana Legislative Assembly complex in Chandigarh. The party said if Haryana was offering 12 acres in Panchkula to the Chandigarh Administration, then why was the Assembly house not being built there.

In a press conference on Wednesday, AAP MLA and former minister Anmol Gagan Maan said that in 1966, when Haryana was carved out of Punjab, it was promised that Chandigarh would be handed over to Punjab after some time. Until Haryana built its own capital, Chandigarh would remain a Union Territory, she said and added that 58 years had passed and still Chandigarh had not been handed over to Punjab.

She stated that, “Chandigarh belongs entirely to Punjab as it was built on the land of 22 villages of Punjab. The decision to build a legislative Assembly for Haryana in Chandigarh is completely wrong. We will not tolerate it. This decision is entirely against Punjab.”

Anmol cited the example of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, saying that when Telangana was created in 2014, it was immediately decided that Hyderabad would be the capital of Telangana, and Andhra Pradesh would establish its new capital in Amaravati. In this year’s budget, the Modi government had announced ?15,000 crore for Andhra Pradesh’s new capital and promised ?50,000 crore over the next few years, she added.

Meanwhile, the Congress and SAD have also objected to the allotment of land in Chandigarh for a separate Vidhan Sabha.

Former Punjab Assembly Speaker Rana KP Singh said it was totally unjustified on part of Chandigarh Administration to allot separate land for Haryana Vidhan Sabha. “When Chandigarh belongs to Punjab, the Chandigarh Administration has raked up a political controversy by allotting separate land for Haryana vidhan sabha. Haryana can build its vidhan sabha in Panchkula,” he opined.

Meanwhile, SAD leader Daljit Singh Cheema termed it shocking. “The party strongly condemns this action of the Centre. It is illegal, unconstitutional and grave violation of the Punjab Reorganisation Act, 1966. The SAD will not allow any such evil design to succeed at any cost,” he said.

“It is extreme injustice and another betrayal with the people of Punjab. By taking such decisions the Centre wants to convey a message that Punjab will never be given its capital,” Cheema added.