Punjab has legitimate right over Chandigarh: Badal

By Punjabnewswire4u

BATHINDA, JULY 26

Reacting sharply to the unwarranted hype created by the Haryana Chief Minister Mr. Bhupinder Singh Hooda over the claim of Chandigarh as its capital, Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal today said that before claiming any stake on Chandigarh, Mr. Hooda must realize that Punjab being the parent state has the first and foremost legitimate right over the city as its capital.

Talking to the media persons after laying the foundation stone of Student Centre and Boys Hostel here today at Giani Zail Singh Punjab Technical University Campus, the Chief Minister categorically said that before unnecessarily raking up this contentious issue time and again just to score brownie points and demonstrating one-upmanship, Mr. Hooda must remember that even Haryana had been carved out from Punjab after reorganization on November 1, 1966 so there was hardly any substance in his claim over Chandigarh. Mr. Badal said that the Haryana Chief Minister should desist from making such hollow statements just to gain cheap popularity in media adding he unequivocally said, “Chandigarh is an integral part of Punjab and none other except it could stake claim over it as capital”. Taking a dig at Mr. Hooda, he said the way Haryana Chief Minister had blown this issue out of proportion could easily lay its claim over Punjab in future but he must understand that sheer claims without any legal sanctity does not hold any ground.

When asked to comment on the Food Security Ordinance introduced by the Congress led UPA Government at the Centre, the Chief Minister said that it was the irony of fate that the Union government has never made any effort to preserve and store the golden grains produced by the farmers after hard labour. Citing the example of Punjab, Mr. Badal said that the Union government has never fulfilled its duty of preserving the rich harvest of the hard working and resilient farmers of the state. He said that the Centre was meting out step motherly treatment to the state by deliberately lingering on the proposals regarding extending scientific storage facilities in state despite of the fact that he had personally taken up this matter with the top brass of the Union government, but of no avail.

Replying to a query regarding issue of misuse of funds in the Punjab Technical University, the Chief Minister said that the law would take its own course in this matter.

Earlier while responding to the demand regarding bestowing the status of University to Giani Zail Singh Punjab Technical University Campus, the Chief Minister in his address, asked the College authorities to prepare a case regarding the matter and send it to the state government. He said that the state government would enact an act regarding it and would grant the status of University to the Giani Zail Singh Punjab Technical University Campus in the next session of the state legislative assembly.

Terming Education as a catalyst for the state’s all-round development, the Chief Minister said that the state government was making all out efforts for spreading Education in the state. He said that the state government has already allotted 500 acres of land free of cost for the Central University at Bathinda. Likewise Mr. Badal said that Mega Educity was coming up at Mullanpur near Chandigarh where various Educational institutes of national and international repute would come up.

The Chief Minister also said that Amritsar and SAS Nagar (Mohali) were also being developed as knowledge hubs in the region which would further give fillip to the education in the state. He said that in another major initiative the Punjab Government has decided to launch Dr. Hargobind Khurana post-Matric Scholarship scheme for the meritorious students of the Government and Adarsh schools securing 80% or more marks in the matriculation exams, from the coming August.

Later on after inaugurating the Natural Farming and Environment Festival- 2013, the Chief Minister in his address said that the state government was ready to promote organic farming in the state but thorough deliberations were required on the issue. He said that the experts of this field must draft a proposal regarding it and send it to the state government which could be examined by it. Reiterating the state government’s commitment for  a green and pollution free Punjab, Mr. Badal said that they were ready to extend fulsome support and cooperation to the Kheti Virasat Mission for this noble cause.

Prominent amongst those present on the occasion included Chief Parliamentary Secretary Mr. Sarup Chand Singla, MLA Mr. Darshan Singh Kotfatta, State BJP President Mr Kamal Sharma, Special Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister Mr. KJS Cheema, Deputy Commissioner Mr. KK Yadav and Press Secretary of Shiromani Akali Dal Dr. Om Parkash Sharma.