Reacting to Centre’s move to extend central government benefits to Chandigarh administration employees, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Monday said that the state government will fight strongly for its “rightful claim over Chandigarh”.
He also accused the central government of violating the Punjab Reorganisation Act 1966 by bringing in officers from other states and services into the Chandigarh administration.
“Central Govt has been stepwise imposing officers and personnel from other states and services in Chandigarh administration. This goes against the letter and spirit of Punjab Reorganisation Act 1966. Punjab will fight strongly for its rightful claim over Chandigarh…(sic),” Mann tweeted.
On Sunday, Shah said that the service conditions of employees of the Chandigarh Union Territory administration will now be aligned to that of the central civil services and this will benefit them in a “big way”. He also said that women employees will now get childcare leave of two years instead of the current one year.
With this decision, the retirement age of employees in the union territory will increase from 58 to 60 years, Shah said, adding that the decision will also bring benefits to employees working in the education sector.
Taking to Twitter on Sunday soon after the home minister’s statement in Chandigarh, Delhi Deputy CM and senior AAP leader Manish Sisodia said Shah did not “take away Chandigarh powers” when the Congress was ruling in Punjab.
“From 2017 to 2022, the Congress ruled Punjab. Amit Shah didn’t take away Chandigarh powers then. As soon as AAP formed government in Punjab, Amit Shah took away Chandigarh’s services. BJP is scared of AAP rising footprint,” Sisodia said on Twitter.
Senior Shiromani Akali Dal leader Daljit Singh Cheema tweeted, “MOH’s (Ministry of Home Affairs) decision to impose central government rules on employees of Chandigarh is in violation of the spirit of the Punjab Reorg (Reorganisation) Act and must be reconsidered.”
“This means denial of right of Capital to Punjab for ever. After changes in the BBMB (Bhakra Beas Management Board) rules, this is another big blow to the rights of Punjab,” he said.
