Punjab BJP to meet Amit Shah, will seek withdrawal of controversial Chandigarh Bill

Amid the ongoing anxiety over a proposed bill to bracket Chandigarh with other union territories, Punjab BJP president Sunil Jakhar on Sunday said he would meet Union Home Minister Amit Shah and request him for reconsideration and withdrawal of the Bill.

Speaking to The Tribune exclusively, Jakhar said the sentiments of Punjab cannot be ignored to facilitate administrative requirements of Chandigarh.

"For Punjab, Chandigarh is not a piece of geography. Our emotions are tied to the capital city. Any such attempt should be reconsidered and withdrawn. We have sought time with the Centre and will press for the Bill to be reconsidered and withdrawn in line with the sentiments of Punjab," Jakhar told The Tribune.

Earlier, the BJP Punjab core committee met on Sunday and agreed to resolve the issue with the Centre.

After the meeting, Jakhar said the Punjab BJP stood with Chandigarh and its interests.

"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 Centre. As a Punjabi myself, I assure you that for us, Punjab always comes first," he said.

The Punjab BJP core committee held an early-morning virtual meeting with leaders in the central BJP to discuss the impact of the proposed bill on the psyche of the people in Punjab.

The Tribune has learnt that the core committee largely agreed that the timing of the bill was problematic and it could give rise to avoidable distrust among the people of Punjab.

The meeting was attended among others by Jakhar, BJP organisational in-charge of the state Mantri Srinivasulu and the entire BJP state top brass, including working president Ashwani Sharma.

From the central BJP national general secretary Tarun Chugh attended the meeting.