Chandigarh: The Haryana Assembly on Tuesday passed a resolution laying claim to Chandigarh, four days after the Punjab legislature demanded that the city be handed over to Punjab.
A resolution tabled by Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar during a one-day special session of the Haryana House also reiterated the state’s right to share waters of the Ravi and Beas rivers by constructing a Satluj Yamuna Link Canal (SYL). This is “historically, legally, judicially and constitutionally established over time”, it said, adding that Punjab had over time denied the rightful claims of Haryana.
The resolution also sought the transfer of Hindi-speaking areas in Punjab to Haryana. The Punjab assembly resolution demanding the transfer of Chandigarh city to it “is not acceptable to the people of Haryana.
“Haryana continues to retain its right to the Capital Territory of Chandigarh. Moreover this house has in the past passed resolutions for a separate High Court in the State of Haryana in Chandigarh.”
It added that the recent amendment in the rules of the Bhakra Beas Management Board by the Central government for appointment of whole-time members goes against the spirit of the Punjab Reorganisation Act, 1966, which treats the river projects as common assets of the successor States of Punjab and Haryana.
