Haryana too has a right over Chandigarh, says CM Saini amid Punjab’s protest over land issue

Haryana also has a right over Chandigarh, Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini said on Tuesday, justifying the state’s move to have an additional Vidhan Sabha building in the Union Territory, much to Punjab’s chagrin.

Saini said the construction of the Haryana Vidhan Sabha complex in Chandigarh is a serious issue and all political parties in the state should rise above politics and present their views unanimously.

On Tuesday, during the Haryana Assembly session, the opposition extended its support to the government over the issue, saying Saini should convene an all-party meeting to present a united front.

“We also have a right over Chandigarh,” Saini later told reporters here when asked to comment on Punjab’s ruling Aam Aadmi Party and other political outfits protesting over the Centre’s reported move to clear the allotment of 10 acres of land in Chandigarh to Haryana for the construction of its additional Assembly building.

Saini said Punjab can also extend its Vidhan Sabha building if needed.

Reacting to Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda’s remark that Haryana should not give its land in exchange to Chandigarh and instead extend the existing Vidhan Sabha building, Saini said the area where the present structure lies, enjoys a ‘heritage status’ because of which “we cannot extend the present building”.

When the matter pertaining to the objection being raised by Punjab came up in the state Assembly on Tuesday, Saini pointed out that the Haryana Vidhan Sabha will need more space to accommodate an increase in the number of sitting legislators after the next delimitation exercise.

Congress member Ashok Arora raised the issue of Punjab’s ruling AAP and other parties objecting to the reported land allotment to Haryana.

Speaking in the state Assembly, Arora said the leaders and legislators from the neighbouring state have given “irresponsible” statements over the issue. He also raised the Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal issue, saying Punjab was not giving water to Haryana.

Haryana Assembly Speaker Harvinder Kalyan told the Congress member that the interstate issue pertains to two states and therefore, cannot be raised casually in the House.

He suggested that the Haryana government convene an all-party meeting to take on-board all political parties of the state.

Intervening in the matter raised by Arora, Chief Minister Saini also said there should be one voice on the issue.  Saini also said Haryana should get SYL water from Punjab.

“We have a right over SYL water,” he said, adding that Punjab leaders have previously politicised issues like SYL, depriving Haryana farmers of their legitimate share of water.

The Supreme Court has also ruled that Haryana farmers are entitled to this water. But such actions, where even the directives of the Supreme Court are bypassed, should not happen in this country, he said, hitting out at the Punjab government.

“It is unfortunate that now Punjab leaders are raising questions about the construction of the Haryana Vidhan Sabha complex in Chandigarh,” Saini said.

The CM emphasised that Haryana stands united on this issue.  He assured that whatever the members of the Vidhan Sabha decide unanimously, the government will take it forward.

To protest the Centre’s reported move to clear the allotment of 10 acres of land in Chandigarh to Haryana, a delegation of Punjab’s ruling AAP on Friday met Punjab Governor Gulab Chand Kataria, who is also the Administrator of Chandigarh.

Chandigarh belongs to Punjab and not an inch of land should be given to Haryana for the construction of its assembly building here, the delegation had urged the Governor.

“Punjab has a right over Chandigarh and we will fight for our right. We have said that no land should be allotted to Haryana in Chandigarh (for the Vidhan Sabha building),” Punjab’s Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema had said after leading a party delegation which met Kataria.

Haryana was carved out as a separate state in 1966.

The Union Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change has reportedly granted environmental clearance for the land offered by the Haryana government to the Chandigarh administration in exchange for land to build the second assembly building here.

The Haryana Government offered 12 acres of land in Panchkula in exchange for 10 acres of land near IT Park Road in Chandigarh.

At present, Punjab and Haryana’s separate assemblies are located in the common building complex which is next to the Punjab and Haryana Civil Secretariat in Chandigarh, the joint capital of the two states.