'Talk it out': Shah to Haryana, Punjab on PU issue

Abstaining from issuing any directive on Haryana’s request for reinstatement of its stake in Punjab University (PU), the Home Ministry has asked both Punjab and Haryana to reach a consensus.

During a Northern Zonal Council (NZC) meeting on November 17, Union Home Minister Amit Shah urged Punjab and Haryana to have a mutual dialogue and resolve the issue amicably. The ministry specified that the Higher Education Department under the Education Ministry was the nodal authority on the issue. The department was already probing the legal angle of the proposal, saying that it could be taken up positively.

“The matter has been examined and it has been observed that inclusion of Haryana as a stakeholder in Punjab University can be considered positively. This is likely to increase the Internal Revenue Generation (IRG) of the university through affiliation charges from Haryana colleges, and as a result, the financial burden on the Central Government will be reduced. However, some legal and statutory changes will have to be made to restore Haryana's role. The matter has been referred to the Department of Legal Affairs, Ministry of Law and Justice, for legal advice,” the department submitted, according to a letter dated October 15.

While no final decision was spelled out at the meeting, Punjab and Haryana submitted their stance on the issue. Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann reiterated Punjab's claim that PU and Chandigarh belong to Punjab, and since Haryana had given up its share decades ago, it could not seek it again. He said Punjab had supported the university for 50 years and opposed any "backdoor entry" attempts by Haryana into the university's governing bodies.

Meanwhile, Haryana argued that it was a long-pending demand for the benefit of colleges in districts like Panchkula, Ambala, and Yamunanagar. It demanded that the colleges be affiliated with the university, and offered to pay a proportional share of the grant.

While both states sought a final decision at the meeting, Shah said such issues were best resolved through dialogue. Reports indicate that the Centre decided to defer the key issues concerning Punjab for now, including the restructuring of PU, following Mann's strong objections.