On Monday, the National Conference leader Ruhullah Mehdi criticised the Aam Aadmi Party over its dual standards for claiming to fight against the Centre’s Chandigarh move but voting in favour of ‘dismemberment and division of J&K.’
The irony is that the same party voted for the dismemberment and division of J&K. Voted in favour of centre’s takeover of a state. That time the rights of a state and federalism didn’t matter. Today they say they “will fight” against centre’s Chandigarh move. https://t.co/p2psDWbXn8
— Ruhullah Mehdi (@RuhullahMehdi) March 28, 2022
“The irony is that the same party voted for the dismemberment and division of J&K. Voted in favour of centre’s takeover of a state. That time the rights of a state and federalism didn’t matter. Today they say they “will fight” against centre’s Chandigarh move,” tweeted Mehdi.
It is pertinent to mention that the central government on Sunday declared that instead of Punjab government services rule, Central civil services rules will be applied in Chandigarh.
The changes, Union home minister Amit Shah announced in Chandigarh, on Sunday, will be notified on Monday and will be implemented from April 1. Describing the announcement as a “big decision,” he said that it was s a “long-pending demand of the Chandigarh administration employees.”
The move, however, has recieved widespread condemnation from Punjabi leaders of various factions, who believe that the move was a step to dilute Punjab’s claim on Chandigarh.
Central Govt has been stepwise imposing officers and personnel from other states and services in Chandigarh administration. This goes against the letter and spirit of Punjab Reorganisation Act 1966. Punjab will fight strongly for its rightful claim over Chandigarh…
— Bhagwant Mann (@BhagwantMann) March 28, 2022
“Central Govt has been stepwise imposing officers and personnel from other states and services in Chandigarh administration. This goes against the letter and spirit of Punjab Reorganisation Act 1966. Punjab will fight strongly for its rightful claim over Chandigarh,” the newly elected C.M. Bhagwant Mann tweeted on Monday.
A few weeks ago, the Centre drew criticism from Punjab over the amendments made to the eligibility criteria for the appointment to the posts of two whole-time members of Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB). This step, too, was regarded by political parties as an infringement on the rights of Punjab.
The announcement led to immediate outpour of discontent by ruling AAP, Congress, and SAD.
“We condemn repeated attacks of the BJP-led central government on the rights of Punjab. Earlier, they tried to finish the senate of the Panjab University, then Punjab’s membership in the Bhakra Beas Management Board,” AAP Punjab spokesperson Malvinder Kang said.
Now they are imposing central government rules on the employees of Chandigarh administration,” said Kang. He added that the central government should follow the Punjab Reorganisation Act, 1966, in letter and spirit and the AAP government in Punjab would take up this issue with the central government soon.
Punjab Congress MLA from Bholath and former leader of opposition in the state legislative assembly Sukhpal Singh Khaira described the Centre’s decision as very unfortunate and said that it was an “attack on federalism.”
Khaira also added that the decision has been taken without taking the Punjab government or the political parties into confidence just to give little benefits to the Chandigarh administration employees. “Chandigarh remains an integral part of Punjab. It is a question of our identity,” he added.
“I wish to remind BJP that Chandigarh is a disputed territory with Punjab’s claim justified by Rajeev-Longowal Accord of 1985,” he tweeted later and added: “Will you ensure Punjabi domicile and language while recruiting officers in UT? It’s deceit and cheating.”
Last year in the month of October, during the Farmer’s Protest, various Farm leaders had also confronted AAP President Arvind Kejriwal over his support to the Abrogation of Article 370, 35-A and the dismemberment of Jammu & Kashmir.
Delhi CM @ArvindKejriwal was grilled by farmers in Punjab on issue of article 370.
A farmer asked him that why he supported revocation of article 370. Then he added that even new farm laws were brought by violating rights of states. pic.twitter.com/qQrN8XGD3E— Sandeep Singh (@PunYaab) October 29, 2021
The farmers had said that on one hand, he demanded a greater autonomy for states and on the other, he vocally supported the abrogation of Article 370 that eneded Jammu & Kashmir’s semi- autonomous status.