Punjab BJP chief opposes Centre’s move to allot land for Haryana assembly in UT

Punjab BJP chief Sunil Jakhar on Thursday opposed the Centre’s move to allot 10 acres in the Union Territory of Chandigarh to Haryana for building its own Vidhan Sabha complex and sought Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s intervention to cancel it.

In a post on X, Jakhar said the Centre’s move to allot the land would “emotionally hurt Punjabis as Chandigarh being the capital of Punjab is not merely a (piece of) land. It’s a matter of deep feeling for the people of the state”.

“Prime Minister Modi has made various attempts to heal the wounds that the state has witnessed recently. The move to allot land for Haryana will hurt the PM’s attempts to uplift Punjab’s religious and social feelings,” Jakhar wrote.

“I believe that in order to maintain its strong ties with Punjab, the Centre should reconsider its decision to allot land for a separate assembly (to Haryana). I appeal to the PM to personally intervene and cancel this decision,” the state BJP chief posted.

He said it is an issue on which all parties of Punjab are unanimous but due to the misunderstanding of chief minister Bhagwant Mann of the Aam Aadmi Party, the claim of Punjab has been weakened. “In Jaipur, when in the meeting of the North Zonal Council, Haryana asked for this land for its Vidhan Sabha before Union home minister Amit Shah, instead of opposing it, the chief minister of Punjab, Bhagwant Mann, gave his stamp of approval to the demand of Haryana by asking for land for the legislative assembly of Punjab as well,” said Jakhar.

Jakhar asked why should people of Punjab pay for the stand taken by the state’s “novice chief minister. “Ultimately, Punjab is important,” he added.

PM should honour Punjab’s claim: Bajwa

Partap Singh Bajwa, senior Congress leader and leader of Opposition in Punjab, wrote to the PM, calling on him to acknowledge Punjab’s “rightful” claim over Chandigarh and fulfill longstanding promises made to the state.

Bajwa highlighted the significance of Chandigarh, which was conceived as a symbol of resilience and rebirth for Punjab in the aftermath of Partition. The Congress leader underscored that incremental administrative and territorial moves — such as the application of Central Service Rules and the allocation of land for Haryana’s Vidhan Sabha complex within Chandigarh — are perceived by Punjabis as a dilution of their claim.

“Restoring Chandigarh as Punjab’s exclusive capital would not only be a gesture of goodwill but would also renew faith in promises honored and the bond of mutual respect,” Bajwa wrote.