Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann on Sunday expressed relief after the central government clarified that it would not introduce the proposed Chandigarh bill in the upcoming winter session of Parliament. This clarification came after a major political controversy erupted in the state regarding the Centre’s alleged plans to change Chandigarh’s administrative structure under Article 240 of the Constitution.
Mann said that he was happy with the Centre’s statement, but added that the Union government must ensure that no future decision related to Punjab is taken without consulting the state and its people. Posting on X, he emphasised that Punjab should never be bypassed in matters that directly affect its rights or identity.
The Union home ministry issued the clarification following strong criticism from various political parties. The controversy began after reports suggested that a constitutional amendment may be introduced to bring Chandigarh in line with other Union territories that do not have their own legislative assemblies. This raised fears in Punjab that such a change could weaken the state’s historical and legal claims over Chandigarh, which has been shared as a capital between Punjab and Haryana since the 1960s.
AAP’s Anandpur Sahib MP Malvinder Singh Kang called the clarification a positive step, but said the people of Punjab must remain vigilant. According to him, Chandigarh belongs to Punjab and needs to be returned to the state. He said the AAP will continue to raise this demand strongly.
Earlier in the day, the Aam Aadmi Party had criticised the Centre sharply, calling the proposed move an attack on Punjab’s identity and a violation of federal principles. AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal accused the Centre of trying to diminish Punjab’s rights. He wrote on X that Punjabis have always fought against injustice and will continue to resist any attempt to weaken the state’s position. Punjab’s finance minister Harpal Cheema also warned that any such attempt by the Centre would be opposed both legally and politically, from the streets to Parliament.
The issue quickly escalated into a larger political debate, with parties across Punjab reacting strongly to the possibility of Chandigarh’s administrative structure being changed.
While the state government welcomed the clarification, opposition leaders were not convinced. Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring rejected the Centre’s statement, calling it unclear and incomplete. He argued that saying the bill would not be introduced in the winter session does not guarantee that it will not appear in a later session. Warring demanded that if the Centre truly supports Punjab, it should work toward transferring Chandigarh fully back to the state rather than creating confusion.
Leader of the Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa also raised concerns, describing the proposed amendment as a calculated move to create unrest in Punjab. He alleged that the bill was a strategy to provoke mass protests and then use the resulting tensions as an excuse to impose Governor’s rule in the state. According to him, the Centre was attempting to centralise power by weakening Punjab politically.
ALSO READ: What happens if antibiotics stop working: the rising threat of superbugs
ALSO READ: How stable tax rules can rebuild business trust and boost growth
The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) called an emergency meeting of its core committee to decide the party’s future course of action. SAD leader Daljit Singh Cheema said that the proposal came at a sensitive time when the people of Punjab were observing the 350th martyrdom anniversary of Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib. He said that instead of offering relief, the Centre was creating unnecessary distress by attempting to undermine Punjab’s claim over Chandigarh.
SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal also criticised the Centre, calling the bill discriminatory and a betrayal of Punjabis. SAD MP and former Union minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal described the amendment as an attack on Punjab’s federal rights and a violation of constitutional values.
Meanwhile, the BJP’s Punjab unit attempted to calm the situation. Punjab BJP president Sunil Jakhar said that the state BJP fully supports Punjab’s stand on Chandigarh. He said he had already requested a meeting with Union home minister Amit Shah to discuss the issue and clear any confusion. According to Jakhar, Chandigarh has always been an integral part of Punjab, and any misunderstandings would be addressed through dialogue.
BJP state working president Ashwani Sharma defended the Centre, saying that the clarification issued online clearly stated that no bill related to Chandigarh would be introduced in the winter session. He accused the AAP government, Congress, and SAD of spreading unnecessary panic for political benefit. Sharma argued that these parties were creating a false narrative and using fear to gain support. He further claimed that long-standing issues related to water sharing, Chandigarh, and Centre–state relations were a result of errors made by previous governments led by Congress and SAD.
Despite the Centre backing away from the proposed amendment for now, political tensions remain high. Many leaders believe that Punjab must remain cautious and continue to protect its rights over Chandigarh. With strong reactions from all major parties, the issue is expected to stay at the centre of political debate in the state.
Copyright © © 2022 Copyright. All Rights Reserved with Arth Parkash