Haryana Congress opposes Punjab’s resolution on Chandigarh, dubs it ‘political gimmick’

New Delhi/Chandigarh, April 4

The Haryana Congress on Monday dubbed the resolution passed by the Punjab assembly on transfer of Chandigarh to the state as a “political gimmick” and decided to meet the president, prime minister and Haryana governor over the issue.

The decision was taken at a meeting of the Haryana Congress Legislature Party (CLP) at the Haryana Bhawan in Delhi, where leaders said Chandigarh belongs to Haryana and will remain so.

The Union Territory of Chandigarh is the common Capital of Punjab and Haryana.

The meeting was chaired by CLP leader and former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda and was attended by around 25 leaders of the party’s state unit.

“We have seen and discussed the resolution passed in the Punjab Assembly regarding Chandigarh, which we strongly oppose as Chandigarh belongs to Haryana,” Hooda told PTI after the meeting.

“The resolution passed in Punjab’s Assembly is merely a political gimmick and the same has no meaning or standing,” he said.

Hooda said Congress leaders from the state will first meet the Haryana Governor against this move and later the Prime Minister and the President.

He said the party has sought time from the Haryana Governor.

“Chandigarh belongs to Haryana and the Shah Commission has already given Chandigarh to Haryana. There are separate issues of disputes—water, territory and the capital, and of these getting water for Haryana is our first priority,” he said.

Chandgarh already is the capital of Haryana and some territories need to be transferred to Haryana, for which the Haryana Congress will continue its protest.

Several legislators were also part of the meet at the Haryana Bhawan.

Rajya Sabha MP Deepinder Singh Hooda had also earlier moved an adjournment motion in the Upper House of Parliament to discuss the issue, but the same was rejected by Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu.

In his notice, Hooda said the Punjab resolution is a “gross violation of the Punjab Reorganisation Act of 1966 and this act of Punjab is likely to disturb the peace, harmony and stability in the entire region”.

He also claimed that “the rightful claim of Haryana over the UT of Chandigarh and its rightful share of river waters is legally entitled and protection under the Constitution”.

In a separate meeting in Chandigarh, Haryana Congress president Kumari Selja said the issues of Chandigarh, the Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal and the transfer of the Hindi-speaking villages from Punjab to Haryana are “inter-linked”.

AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal must clarify his stand on these issues, she said, targeting the AAP government in Punjab.

The BJP-led Haryana Government has summoned a special session of the Assembly on Tuesday, days after the Punjab Assembly passed the resolution seeking immediate transfer of Chandigarh to the state.

The Punjab resolution is unconstitutional and a one to mislead the people. It also infringes on the rights of Haryana, Selja told a press conference after the meet.

“The way the Punjab Government has staked claim on Chandigarh, we strongly condemn it,” she said.

Asked why two separate meetings were being held on Tuesday, Congress general secretary in-charge of Haryana affairs, Vivek Bansal, said it is good that these issues are being raised forcefully by the party at the state Capital and the National Capital.

Selja said the party will run a campaign in Haryana at district headquarters from April 11-13 to make people aware of these issues—Chandigarh, SYL and transfer of Hindi-speaking villages.

She also demanded that the Haryana Government should clarify its stand on these three issues and spell out the future roadmap.

Cutting across parties, Haryana leaders have been demanding the completion of the SYL canal for getting the state’s river water share from Punjab. They have also sought the transfer of 400 Hindi-speaking villages to Haryana.

Selja said, “Congress party’s stand is one”, and the party will fight for the rights of Haryana.

Earlier, addressing a gathering of party workers, Selja said that “both AAP and BJP mislead people and both are masters of telling lies.”

“They are two sides of the same coin. To divert the attention of the public from issues, the Punjab government brought this resolution,” she said.

Selja said the “anti-Haryana face” of the AAP has come to the fore after the Punjab assembly passed the resolution.

Kejriwal talks about coming to Haryana and standing with the people of Haryana, but on every issue he stands against Haryana, she alleged.

Attacking the BJP, she said Haryana is yet to get SYL water even after BJP governments in the state and Centre for the last eight years.

Selja said that rising prices of essential commodities and petrol and diesel have broken the back of people.

On April 7, Congress workers will gather at the Chandigarh office of Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee and protest against the rising prices.