Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s announcement on Chandigarh sparks a row

Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s statement on Union Territory Chandigarh and its linkage with the Central government has started a new debate among the political spheres in the region.

During his Chandigarh visit on Sunday, Shah had said that the central government would soon implement Union Government Service Rules in Chandigarh. The home minister also said that the notification in this regard would also be issued shortly.

Reacting sharply to Shah’s statements, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann claimed that the state government will fight strongly for its "rightful claim over Chandigarh". Mann termed the move as BJP's nervousness after seeing Aam Aadmi Party’s growing base in Punjab after the recent Punjab election.

The CM also accused the union government of violating the Punjab Re-organisation Act, 1966, by bringing in officers from other states and services into the Chandigarh administration.

Taking to Twitter, Mann wrote: "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 Re-organisation Act 1966. Punjab will fight strongly for its rightful claim over Chandigarh.”

Shah had announced that the central civil services rules would now be applicable to the employees of the Chandigarh Administration. “The Union Cabinet has already approved it and the notification in this context will be issued soon."

Under these rules, Shah had said that the retirement age of employees in the Union Territory will now be raised to 60 from the existing 58 years and women employees would get childcare leave of two years instead of one.

Shah called it an attempt to fulfill the “long pending demand of employees of the Chandigarh administration".

Meanwhile, senior Aam Aadmi Party leader and Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia also slammed the union government over Shah's announcement, saying Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government is afraid of the AAP's "rising footprints".

"From 2017 to 2022, Congress ruled Punjab. Amit Shah didn't take away Chandigarh powers then. As soon as AAP formed the Government in Punjab, Amit Shah took away Chandigarh's services. BJP is scared of AAP rising footprint," Sisodia tweeted.

Congress MLA from Bholath, Sukhpal Singh Khaira, has strongly condemned the dictatorial decision of the BJP's Central government to usurp the right of Punjab over Chandigarh.

Khaira, in his tweet, said that Chandigarh belonged to Punjab and this
unilateral decision was not only a direct attack on federalism but
also an attack on Punjab's share of the 60 percent control over the union
territory.

It is pertinent to mention that Shah, who was in Chandigarh on Sunday, had said that the central government would soon implement union government service rules in Chandigarh. The home minister also said that the notification in this regard would also be issued soon in the near future.

Khaira said this meant that the employees posted in Chandigarh would no more be governed by the Punjab service rules which has been the rule and the norm ever since Chandigarh came into existence.

Khaira said he wished to remind the BJP that there has been a long standing dispute going over the status of Chandigarh as Punjab always demanded that the same be transferred to the state as its sole capital.

Punjab's claim over Chandigarh was justified and endorsed in 1985 too, during the Rajiv-Longowal pact.

Khaira asked the BJP govt if it would endorse Punjab domicile and
Punjabi language while recruiting employees and officers in
Chandigarh. He said it was a deceit and cheating by no less than a
union government.

He urged Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann to take up the issue of gross discrimination of the BJP government more strongly for unilaterally attempting to impose central rules of employees of Chandigarh.

Khaira said Mann must take a clear and tough stand on this because this step would weaken Punjab's claim over Chandigarh.

Shah's remarks also evoked a sharp reaction from the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), which said the move violates "the spirit of the Punjab Reorganisation Act". Speaking to reporters, senior SAD leader Daljit Singh Cheema said the decision is a "conspiracy to dilute Punjab's claim on Chandigarh".

"Chandigarh is Punjab (common) capital and adhoc arrangement of UT was made. Sixty per cent employees are of Punjab and the rest of Haryana... at the time of reorganisation, it was agreed that Punjab government rules would be applicable on employees of the UT. This decision of the Centre is dictatorial and has been taken without consulting the state of Punjab," said Cheema.