Punjab’s right over Chandigarh eroding: Jaagda Punjab
Chandigarh, November 21, 2020: In the light of the fact that Punjab has a claim over Chandigarh as its capital, the administration of the Union Territory of Chandigarh should not take any major policy decision, such as privatization of the power distribution, having a long term effect related to the city. This was stated here on Saturday by Jaagda Punjab (JP), a body of intellectuals and activists devoted to Punjab.
The issue of the transfer of Chandigarh to Punjab is very much alive, said JP in a statement adding that the UT administration should keep this in mind while taking any decision related to the over-all administrative set up of the city, including its public delivery system. Chandigarh is a part of the soul of Punjab and it could not be separated from it.
“Shockingly, Chandigarh continues to be a Union Territory and its transfer to Punjab has been blocked under one pretext or the other by the authorities concerned over the last five decades. But it should not be treated by the authorities concerned as another Union Territory because it has a different character owing to its status as a capital of Punjab. Any decision related to Chandigarh should have the prior consent of the people of Punjab,” said Professor Manjit Singh, Convener Jaagda Punjab.
The organization has demanded that the UT administration should revoke its decision to privatize the distribution of power keeping in view the unique status of the city beautiful and Punjab’s claim over it.
“The UT administration should be seen promoting the Punjabi language, Punjabi culture, ethos, and values in the city beautiful apart from ensuring the engaging of the 60 percent employees in the UT administrative set up from the state given the spirit and mandate of the Punjab Reorganization Act, 1966. The Chandigarh administration should invite those people, whose agricultural land and villages were acquired to build this city, to settle them back here in suitably designed sectors,” he added.
The Jaagda Punjab has also urged all political parties of Punjab to take up this issue with the UT administration as it would further dilute the state’s stake in the city beautiful once the power distribution, which is now in the public sector domain, goes to the private sector.