It is an issue that has brought together government and opposition in two states. With the Punjab Assembly moving a resolution seeking to bring Chandigarh under its ambit, the resolution has sparked off united opposition from neighbouring Haryana which has also been staking its claim over the Union Territory.
The Punjab Vidhan Sabha, at its special one-day session on Friday, passed a resolution seeking the transfer of Chandigarh to Punjab. Barring two BJP legislators, all the opposition parties, including the Akali Dal and the Congress, had supported the resolution.
The resolution sparked off angry reactions from almost all parties across the border in Haryana. Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar said Chandigarh is and will remain the capital of Haryana and Punjab. “Both the states have several other issues to talk about apart from Chandigarh,” he added.
Even Leader of Opposition Bhupinder Singh Hooda backed Khattar on the issue. Hooda said that Punjab’s resolution was merely a “political agenda” of the AAP.
“Chandigarh belongs to Haryana if we go by the Shah Commission report. Punjab is not even giving us our share of water. We have 50% share in the Chandigarh airport as well. What will happen if we decide to block our roads to Punjab and deny them entry? The three issues of water, territory and capital need to be resolved,” Hooda stated.
The leaders demanded convening of a special session of the Haryana Vidhan Sabha and said that the Sutlej Yamuna Link canal should also be taken up afresh and pushed for an early resolution.
Just how politically emotive the issue is can be gauged by the fact that the resolution for seeking transfer of Chandigarh to Punjab is not the first such resolution. The first time it was moved was on May 18, 1967 when a non-official resolution moved by Acharya Prithvi Singh Azad sought inclusion of Chandigarh in Punjab. The resolution was carried.
On January 19, 1970, another non-official resolution was moved by Chaudhary Balbir Singh for transfer of Chandigarh, Bhakra and other Punjabi-speaking areas. The resolution was carried unanimously without any discussion.
On September 7, 1978, a non-official resolution seeking merger of Chandigarh and other Punjabi-speaking areas with Punjab was moved by Sukhdev Singh Dhillon and passed unanimously.
A non-official resolution seeking transfer of Hindi-speaking areas to Haryana in lieu of Chandigarh was moved by Baldev Singh Mann on October 31, 1985.
On March 6, 1986, non-official resolution for implementation of the Rajiv Gandhi-Harchand Singh Longowal accord was moved by Om Prakash Gupta. The resolution was passed unanimously.
On December 23, 2014, a non-official resolution for transfer of Chandigarh and other Punjabi-speaking areas to Punjab was moved by Iqbal Singh Jhundan, and carried.
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