AAP leaders meet Governor over UT Adviser's redesignation

A delegation of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) today met Governor Gulab Chand Kataria over the Centre’s decision to re-designate the post of Adviser to the Chandigarh Administrator as the Chief Secretary. AAP leaders appealed to the Governor to intervene in the matter, stating that the Centre was treating Punjab unfairly. The delegation included AAP’s state president Aman Arora, cabinet ministers Harpal Singh Cheema, Harbhajan Singh ETO, Hardeep Singh Mundian and Barinder Goyal among others. Arora said the appointment of Chief Secretary instead of an Advisor exposes the Centre’s anti-Punjab mindset. He said AAP strongly opposes this decision, as it’s an attempt to weaken Punjab’s rightful claim over Chandigarh. He added that they won’t accept this decision under any circumstances. He pointed out that Chandigarh was built by displacing 27 villages of Punjab. The Rajiv-Longowal accord mentioned that Chandigarh would be handed over to Punjab within five years, but this had not happened yet, he said. The AAP state president criticised the BJP and the Congress, stating that both parties had been in power at the Centre but did nothing to address the matter. He said the Governor assured the delegation that he would raise their concerns and voice of three crore Punjabis with the Centre and the Ministry of Home Affairs. Criticising the Centre for its continuous anti-farmer policies, Cheema said the PM Modi-led government was bringing laws aimed at dismantling the agricultural system, especially the mandi system, which forms the backbone of Punjab’s farming economy.