Nearly three-decade after the Rajiv-Longowal accord was inked, the issue of transfer of Chandigarh to Punjab has once again come to fore with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) holding the reins in both the States and the Centre.
Punjab unit of the BJP has made it clear that they are in favour of handing over Chandigarh to the State, and the issue would once more be raised at the appropriate level with their parties at the helm of affairs in Haryana as well.But the flipside of the issue is that the other matters of controversy such as Satluj-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal, sharing of river waters, among others, too may head towards a resolution.
Congress Deputy Leader, Capt Amrinder Singh welcomed BJP’s demand seeking transfer of Chandigarh to Punjab.
In a statement issued here today, Capt Amarinder said, “Chandigarh is very much a Punjab city and must be returned to Punjab”. He remarked, “good that the BJP has also endorsed the Rajiv-Longowal Accord and I hope it will be able to prevail upon its alliance partner, the Akalis also”.
On the other hand, The Shiromani Akali Dal(Amritsar) led by former MP Simranjit Singh Mann is ready to stage a protest against the raking up of Rajiv-Longowal accord. The protest has been planned to be held at Fazilka on 24th October.
Simranjit Singh Mann said by raking up the issue of Rajiv-Longowal Accors, the BJP was trying to take approval from its partner Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal) to annex Fazilka, Pathankot, Dera Bassi and Lalru from Punjab and transfer these to Haryana, Himachal and Rajasthan.
Mann alleged the saffron party, buoyed over its success in the Lok Sahbha and assembly elections, was now bent on harming the interests of Punjab for promoting its own interests. He said his party would not allow this to happen at any cost. He termed Rajiv-Longowal Accord as controversial. He said a large number of party workers led by general secretary Jaskaran Singh Kahan Singh Wala would hold a protest rally.
It is to be noticed that BJP was opposing the decision earlier… and it was said that if the party comes to power, it would scrap the Congress government’s decision.
With Inputs from PTI & PunjabTimeline