Punjab will fight
strongly for its rightful claim over Chandigarh, the state’s newly-elected chief
minister Bhagwant Mann tweeted Monday after the Union government extended
Central government benefits to employees of the Chandigarh Union Territory
administration. The Punjab government views the extension of benefits as impinging
upon its powers and finds it to be a violation of the Punjab Reorganisation Act
1966.

“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 the
Punjab Reorganisation Act 1966. Punjab will fight strongly for its rightful
claim over Chandigarh,” Mann wrote. According to the chief minister, the move is
prompted by BJP’s nervousness after the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) swept to power in
Punjab.

On Sunday, Union
Home Minister Amit Shah said that government employees of the Union Territory
will now retire at 60 instead of 58 and women employees will get childcare
leave of two years from the current one year. “Today, the Modi government has
made a big decision…Tomorrow a notification will be issued and from the
upcoming financial year you will get the benefit,” Shah said. The benefits are
scheduled to kickstart from April 1.

The Union
government’s decision has been opposed by AAP, Congress and the Shiromani Akali
Dal (SAD). AAP leader and Delhi Deputy CM Manish Sisodia said BJP is scared of
the rise of AAP. “From 2017 to 2022 Congress ruled Punjab, Amit Shah didn’t
take away Chandigarh’s powers. As soon as AAP formed Govt in Punjab, Amit Shah
took away Chandigarh’s services.”

“We strongly
condemn the dictatorial decision of BJP to usurp upon the rights of Punjab over
control of Chandigarh. It belongs to Punjab and this unilateral decision is not
only a direct attack on federalism but also an attack on Punjab’s share of 60
per cent control over the UT,” tweeted Sukhpal Singh Khaira of the Congress.

Daljit Singh
Cheema of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) tweeted, “MOH’s (Ministry of Home
Affairs’) decision to impose central government rules on employees of
Chandigarh is in violation of the spirit of Punjab Reorg (Reorganisation) Act
and must be reconsidered.”

“This means denial
of the right of Capital to Punjab for ever. After changes in the BBMB (Bhakra
Beas Management Board) rules, this is another blow to the rights of Punjab,” he
wrote in another tweet.