Centre diluting state's rights, claims Surjewala

Rajya Sabha MP and Congress general secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala today criticised the Modi government for abolishing the system of deputation of Haryana officials in the UT administration of Chandigarh and replacing them with officers from the UT cadre. He also lambasted Haryana CM Nayab Singh Saini for his silence on the issue.

Taking a direct aim at the BJP governments at the Centre and in Haryana, Surjewala said that PM Narendra Modi and the BJP were continuously attacking Haryana's distinct culture and identity. “Meanwhile, the puppet Chief Minister of the state remains silent to save his position. After winning the elections for the third time, the BJP has crossed all limits,” he said.

“Chandigarh, the city envisioned by Nehru, is a shared heritage of Haryana and Punjab, and no one has the right to snatch away this shared legacy. According to the Punjab Reorganisation Act of 1966, passed by Parliament, Chandigarh belongs to Haryana and Punjab in a 40:60 ratio. Haryana and Punjab have nurtured Chandigarh, the country's most beautiful city, with their blood and sweat. However, the Modi government is now attempting to take away Chandigarh's administration and rights from Haryana, which will not be accepted at any cost,” said Surjewala.

He stated that no PM had ever interfered with the 60:40 administrative arrangement of Chandigarh's administration. “But the Modi government came to power with the intent of destroying Haryana's rights, traditions, and institutions and is moving forward with this agenda.”

“In the first attack of 2025 on the shared heritage of Haryana and Punjab, the Modi government has approved the position of Chief Secretary for Chandigarh instead of an Administrative Adviser. According to the Central government's official notification, 11 officers will work as secretaries instead of the earlier nine, and these officers will belong exclusively to the UT cadre rather than being deputed from Haryana or Punjab. With this notification, the claim of Punjab and Haryana to administrative positions in Chandigarh, including finance, home, DC, and municipal commissioner, has ended,” he claimed.

“Respecting the sentiments of both states, the deputation quota for administrative posts was never abolished. The last Chief Secretary of Chandigarh was appointed in 1983-84, after which Administrative Advisers have been appointed. For the first time, after implementing Central service rules in Chandigarh in March 2022, the Central government has issued an official notification stating that all secretary positions in Chandigarh will be reserved for the UT cadre,” he added.