New Delhi: The Punjab Assembly on Friday unanimously accepted the resolution moved by Leader of the House and Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann urging the Center to shift Chandigarh to Punjab.
The House urged the Central Government to respect the principles of federalism enshrined in our Constitution and not take any step that disturbs the balance between the administration of Chandigarh and other common assets like Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB). However, BJP MLA Ashwini Sharma, participating in the deliberations on the motion, strongly opposed the motion and later walked out of the assembly in protest.
Concluding the discussion after considering the issues raised by various members of the Treasury and the Opposition Benches during the one-day special meeting of the first session of the 16th Punjab Legislative Assembly, Bhagwant Mann said that his government would call for prior appointment from the Center. Will take advantage of all channels by demanding. On the Prime Minister and the Home Minister for pressurizing the Central Government to take their fight for the legitimate rights of Punjab to a logical end.
Giving a clarion call to all the members of the opposition, Bhagwant Mann requested wholehearted support and cooperation from all parties, thus cutting off political affiliation as the issue was quite sensitive and of immense emotional and social importance. Therefore, in the larger public interest, all of us should unite on a common platform and implement the legitimate demands of the state in letter and spirit from the Centre.
Sharing his past experience as an MP, Bhagwant Mann called upon all the MPs and MLAs of the state to exhibit the same spirit of unity and harmony as is often seen by the leaders of southern states by rising above vested interests. – Displayed to protect the rights of their states. And petty personal views.
Bhagwant Mann criticized the BJP-led central government, saying that its leadership was bent on indulging in vendetta politics in general and states like Punjab, Delhi, West Bengal in particular where it led its government to form its own government. miserably failed to get the mandate for
Bhagwant Mann also attacked the Center for usurping the powers vested in the states and thus tinkering with the federal structure to further his political interests. Citing one example, how the Center enacted three anti-black farmer laws and later repealed them after coming under tremendous pressure from farmers across the country.
Referring to the indifferent and step-motherly treatment of Punjab by the Centre, Bhagwant Mann as MP narrated an incident when the Pathankot airbase was attacked by militants in 2016 and the state police force retaliated with the central security forces valiantly. And regardless helped eliminate terrorists. for their personal safety. To his complete surprise, Mann said that the Center raised a bill of Rs. 7.50 crore for providing central security forces to the state in this regard. He said the amount was finally waived off by personal intervention after the then Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh had a meeting with his fellow MP Sadhu Singh. “It is very paradoxical that even a border state, which is facing the brunt of terrorism, has to pay a hefty amount for its security,” Mann said. He dared the Center to make it clear, “Don’t you consider Punjab a part of the country”.
Highlighting the drug issue in the state, Bhagwant Mann said that he failed to understand that despite having more than 2.5 times the area of Rajasthan’s border and a little more than half of Jammu and Kashmir’s border with Pakistan, unfenced. facing the problem of drug abuse. Punjab was still grappling with the menace of drugs. Without saying anything, he said that ‘chitta’ is being made here in the state and those who are involved in such heinous activities and are responsible for the massacre of Punjabi youth will be exposed soon.
Reiterating his steadfast commitment to make Punjab a vibrant state once again (Rangla Punjab), Bhagwant Mann asked the people to repose faith and trust in his government and assured them that their dreams would be realized soon. and their aspirations will be nurtured.
On this occasion, Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema, Congress MLA Pratap Singh Bajwa, Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa, Pargat Singh, Sukhpal Singh Khaira and Sandeep Jakhar, AAP MLA Principal Buddha Ram, Aman Arora, Prof. Baljinder Kaur, Jai Kishan Rory and Jeevanjot were present. Kaur, SAD MLA Manpreet Singh Ayali and BSP MLA Nachhatar Pal also participated in the deliberations on the resolution.
