Chandigarh receives 'detailed proposal' from Haryana on land swap for additional assembly building

Chandigarh administration has received a ''detailed proposal'' from the Haryana government on land swap for setting up its additional legislative assembly building here and it is under consideration, officials said on Thursday.

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 Panchkula. In the 2023-24 budget, the Haryana government has already allocated Rs 50 crore for the construction of an additional Vidhan Sabha building here.

The Haryana's move has evoked sharp reaction from various political parties in Punjab which said they will never allow it to happen, asserting that Chandigarh belongs to Punjab only.

On Thursday, Chandigarh's Deputy Commissioner Vinay Pratap Singh said the administration has received a ''detailed proposal'' from Haryana government to swap the land with regards to setting up of an additional assembly building.

''Now, a report will be sought from Haryana government on the land (which it is offering in Panchkula as a swap) and then the matter will be put up before the Administration here and later sent to the Union Home Ministry for decision because allotment will happen from there because it is an exchange case (land swap),'' Singh said.

''Since they have sent a proposal to us, we are working on it. We are having multiple meetings with them so that we can make a proper case and send it to the Government of India with approval of UT Administration,'' he said.

Notably, in July 2022, at the northern zone council meeting in Jaipur, Union Home Minister Amit Shah had announced land for setting up an additional building for Haryana assembly in Chandigarh.

The deputy commissioner also said that Chandigarh has sought some clarifications from the Haryana government on the land (in Panchkula).

''We have asked them for some clarifications on the proposal which include demarcation report of the land and no encumbrance certificate of the land (in Panchkula),'' he said.

Asked in which location the UT offered land to Haryana in Chandigarh, he said, ''We had offered them multiple choices. They (Haryana) selected the land near railway station traffic signal. Once the approval of swapping comes from the Centre, then we will allot the land to them.'' Punjab Governor also serves as the Administrator of Union Territory Chandigarh, which is a common capital of both Punjab and Haryana.

Commenting on the fresh development, senior Congress leader from Punjab, Partap Singh Bajwa, in a tweet, said, ''Chandigarh administration's move to allot 10 acres of land to Haryana to build an assembly is extremely deplorable.'' ''The BJP-led Centre is hell-bent upon infringing Punjab's claim on Chandigarh in one way or the other. ''The @AAPPunjab govt has also completely failed to safeguard Punjab's rights in the capital. Ever since CM @BhagwantMann got hold of power, he attempted to dilute Punjab's claim on Chandigarh. In a tweet last year, CM sought a piece of land from the Centre for a separate assembly, despite the fact, it belongs to Punjab only,'' Bajwa, who is Leader of the Opposition, said.

He said as always, the Punjab Congress will keep fighting to protect Punjab's claim on Chandigarh ''as it solely belongs to us (punjabis)''.

Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal criticised both the Centre and the Aam Aadmi Party government in Punjab ''for colluding with each other to allot land in the Union territory for a separate Vidhan Sabha to Haryana to take political advantage in the Haryana assembly elections (in 2024)''.

In a statement, Badal said the move was in continuation of an announcement made by Amit Shah last year, but Chief Minister Mann did not protest against it then which has led to grave dilution of Punjab's right over Chandigarh.

Former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda said that ''Chandigarh belongs to Haryana...the Haryana government should carry out extension of existing Vidhan Sabha. Why should Haryana lose its stand on present Vidhan Sabha'' 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.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)