Vij slams Punjab leaders’ Opposition for separate Vidhan Sabha

Chandigarh: With Haryana’s bid to construct a separate Vidhan Sabha building in Chandigarh being opposed by parties like AAP and Congress, Haryana Minister Anil Vij said that leaders from Punjab oppose Haryana in every matter.

A delegation of the Punjab unit of Congress had on Thursday met Governor Banwarilal Purohit, who is also the administrator of Chandigarh, and opposed the proposed move to allot land to Haryana in the Union territory for setting up its state assembly building. Reacting to it, Haryana Home Minister Vij said, “The way Pakistan’s leaders cannot do their politics without opposing India, the same way, a mindset is emerging in Punjab where Haryana has to be opposed in every matter.

These leaders will be acceptable to the public only when they oppose Haryana at some point or the other.” Speaking to reporters here on Thursday, Vij said that Punjab’s opposition to the assembly building is not justified.

“We have applied for our land. Keeping all issues in mind, this land matter is under consideration (by the UT Administration).” The Chandigarh administration had recently received a detailed proposal from the Haryana government on land swap for setting up the assembly building and it is under consideration, officials had said earlier. In lieu of the 10-acre land sought by Haryana for the construction of an additional assembly building in Chandigarh, the state has offered a 12-acre site in Haryana’s Panchkula.

At present, Punjab and Haryana share the Vidhan Sabha complex which is next to the Punjab and Haryana Civil Secretariat in Chandigarh. Haryana has maintained that there is a space constraint and the Vidhan Sabha and its committees are unable to function properly.

Leader of Opposition in Punjab Assembly Partap Singh Bajwa has accused the Centre of deliberately making attempts to undermine Punjab’s claim over Chandigarh.