Shimla, September 12
The SAD has criticised the central government for taking a unilateral decision whereby the Punjab Governor will no longer remain the UT Administrator.

Describing it as “dangerous for the nation’s stability”, SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal said Punjab would not take the decision lying down and his party would ask Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal to take up the matter with the Union Government.

Speaking at the SAD’s “Punjab Vichar Sammelan”, he said, “Chandigarh was built for Punjab and it will be prudent for the Centre not to take any decision regarding it without consulting Punjab”. He said by such initiatives the Union Government appeared to be running away from its commitment to transfer the city to Punjab. A special resolution had been passed on this at the sammelan.

Citing the principle of a parent state retaining the capital city, he said there was no rationale behind denying Punjab its legitimate right in this regard. “There has been a totally unjustified and inordinate delay in transferring the city to Punjab and Punjabis have been forced to make unparalleled sacrifices in a prolonged struggle forced on them by the Centre’s apathy,” he added.

The SAD president called upon “all Punjabis, irrespective of their ideological or political affiliations, to unite for the cause of securing justice for the state with regard to Chandigarh and other Punjabi speaking areas left out of Punjab as well as on the brazen discrimination meted out to the people of the state on the issue of its river waters.”

“The Riparian Principle, followed nationally and internationally in every river water dispute, continues to be flouted in the case of Punjab. This discrimination must end,” he added.

He cautioned the Centre not to do anything with regard to Chandigarh that altered its administrative structure without taking Punjab into confidence.