'Punjab always comes first': State BJP chief amid uproar over Centre's Chandigarh move
The Centre will bring the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2025, in the upcoming winter session of Parliament, beginning December 1, according to a Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha bulletin. It seeks to include the Union territory of Chandigarh in Article 240.
Amid a political storm in Punjab over the Centre's decision to bring Chandigarh under the President's direct control, state BJP chief Sunil Jakhar said that Chandigarh is an "integral part of Punjab" and assured that the prevailing "confusion" would be resolved following discussions with the Central government.
'Punjab always comes first': State BJP chief
"Chandigarh is an integral part of Punjab, and the Punjab BJP stands firmly with the interests of the state, whether it is the issue of Chandigarh or the waters of Punjab. Whatever confusion has arisen regarding Chandigarh will be resolved by discussing it with the government. As a Punjabi myself, I assure you that for us, Punjab always comes first," Jakhar, who was the Congress's Punjab chief earlier, said in a post on X.
The Centre has proposed to include the Union territory of Chandigarh under the ambit of Article 240 of the Constitution, which empowers the president to make regulations for the UT and legislate directly. This could pave the way for the appointment of an independent administrator in Chandigarh, like when it had an independent chief secretary in the past.
The Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill 2025 will be introduced in the upcoming Winter session of Parliament, beginning December 1, 2025, according to a bulletin of the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha.
The Bill seeks to include the Union territory of Chandigarh in Article 240, in alignment with other UTs without legislatures, such as Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu, and Puducherry (when its Legislative Assembly is dissolved or suspended).
AAP, Congress, SAD oppose bill
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener Arvind Kejriwal vehemently opposed the Centre's proposed move, calling it a "direct attack" on Punjab's identity and constitutional rights. "The BJP-led central government's attempt to eliminate Punjab's rights over Chandigarh through constitutional amendment is not part of a simple move, but a direct attack on Punjab's identity and constitutional rights. This mentality of undermining the federal structure and depriving Punjabis of their rights is extremely dangerous," Kejriwal said in a post on X.
Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) MP and former Union minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal said that with this move, Punjab will lose its rights over Chandigarh. "The Shiromani Akali Dal strongly opposes the proposed Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill being brought by the Central Government in this winter session. With this amendment, Chandigarh will be converted into a state, and Punjab will completely lose its right over Chandigarh," she said.
Badal described the proposal as a significant blow to Punjab, noting that the Congress party had initially taken Chandigarh from Punjab and asserting that the decision to make it a separate state would not be accepted. "This amendment bill is a robbery of the rights of Punjab and also a violation of the principles of federal structure. The Shiromani Akali Dal will not allow this to happen and will strongly oppose it in this session," she said.
Congress MLA Pargat Singh said that the Centre's latest endeavour aims to "completely snatch" Chandigarh from Punjab and transform it into a separate Union territory. He described this action as "an act of sheer aggression that Punjab will never accept.
"I urge Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann to strongly oppose this anti-Punjab move in Monday's Assembly session and pass a resolution against it. An all-party meeting must be convened so that Punjab can stand united, go to Delhi before the Parliament session, stage a protest against this unconstitutional assault, and meet the president with an all-party delegation to formally register Punjab's objection," said Singh.
Punjab governor serves as the Administrator of Chandigarh
Currently, the Punjab governor serves as the Administrator of the UT of Chandigarh. It was previously administered independently by a chief secretary since November 1, 1966, when Punjab was reorganised.
However, since June 1, 1984, Chandigarh has been administered by the Punjab governor and the chief secretary's position was converted to an adviser to the UT administrator.
In August 2016, the Centre sought to restore the old practice of having an independent administrator by appointing former IAS officer K J Alphons for the top post.
However, the move was withdrawn after stiff opposition from the then-Punjab chief minister, Parkash Singh Badal, who was part of the NDA, and other parties, including the Congress and AAP.
Punjab, which has staked its claim on Chandigarh, also wants the immediate transfer of Chandigarh to it.
The chief minister has reiterated this demand during a recent meeting of the Northern Zonal Council held in Faridabad.
(With PTI inputs)
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