Badal accepts UT status of Chandigarh, deviates from demand of transfer to Punjab

Also compromised SYL issue due to alliance with BJP
By Satinder Bains
CHANDIGARH: Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal seemed to have accepted the Union Territory status of Chandigarh and abandoned the idea of transfer of Chandigarh to Punjab. His remarks that Chandigarh will always remain capital of Punjab is seen as deviation in his earlier stand of transfer of Chandigarh to Punjab. Shiromani Akali Dal(SAD) had fought many elections on inter-state disputes with Haryana. Chandigarh is joint capital of Punjab and Haryana.

Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on Tuesday during a media interaction at village Mahuana in his home constituency of Lambi, clearly and cleverly made a strategic shift on his stand on Chandigarh. Replying to a related question he told, "Punjab was, is and will remain the capital of Punjab".  He remained non-committal on transfer of Chandigarh to Punjab. He though mentioned Chandigarh belongs to Punjab but didn't presse for his party's demand of transfer of Chandigarh to Punjab.

Badal was replying to questions related to appoIntment of separate administrator for Chandigarh. He said that though as per States Reorganization Act every parent state has sole right over its Capital city but grave injustice had been meted out to state by denying Chandigarh to the state. He  said that till Chandigarh was not given to the state around four decades old practice of appointing Punjab Governor as the administrator of Chandigarh should be continued.

It is belived that SAD's alliance with BJP which rules in Punjab has made Badal to change the stand. Having his party's alliance with BJP which leads NDA government at center, Badal has never raised the issue of transfer of Chandigarh to Punjab with the Prime Minister, neither his daughter in law Harsimrat Kaur Bada;, a cabinet minister in center put forth the demand in the cabinet. The issue however caught the limelight when center propsoed a separate administrator for the city, a long standing demand of BJP. Punjab Governor was given charge of the administrator of city in 1984 during days of militancy for better coordination. The move has been postponed but indications are that after Punjab elections separate administrator would be appointed for Chandigarh.

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar has even suggested to Punjab to appoint rotational administrator for Chandigarh. Interestingly Badal kept mum on the Khattar's suggestion and his office preferred not to react to it. Punjab Congress President Capt Amarinder Singh has however strongly reacted to the Haryana's demand and said rotational administrative is not acceptable. He demanded to hand over Chandigarh to Punjab which was one of the proposals listed in Rajiv Longowal accord.

The questions also being raised on a starred question asked by SAD MP Sher Singh Ghubaya in the Lok Sabha wanting to know if center has anu plans to set up separate capital for Punjab. Congress has taken strong notice of it and blamed SAD for surrendering claim over Chandigarh.

Chandigarh is not the only issue where Badal is seen compromising. Even on the issue of SYL Canal Badal has taken differrent stand on different occassions. While he has announced to make every sacrifice for SYL Canal, he also said on one occassion that solution of SYL dispute is not possible at government level since issue is subjudice. A five member constitutional bench hearing a petition related to the reference pertaining to Punjab Termination of Agreements Act, 2004.

In fact SYL Canal issue was buried for long time and SAD had put it on back burner due to BJP in power in Haryana. The issue is pending in the Supreme Court. Haryana has sought center's intervention against Punjab Termination of Agreements Act, 2004 which the center sent to Supreme Court through the President for reference. Center has taken neutral stand in the court which means it didn't support Punjab's stand on SYL Canal.

The critics said if Punjab was hurt by the stand taken by center why Badal has not called back Harsimrat Kaur Badal a member in the Narender Modi cabinet and preferred to play to the gallery? SAD choose to protest by digging the canal and uprooting hundereds of trees on its banks thus causing huge loss to the environment.

If the issue of SYL Canal is subjudice, how can it be made a poll issue in Punjab ? Badal shall either take the center by horns or wait for the Court decision. Similarly, he shall talk tough on Chandigarh if he is sincere to get it transferred. Sheer politics on sensitive issues will only expose double face of SAD.