Punjab will fight for claim over Chandigarh: Cheema

Chandigarh, March 28 (IANS) Saying Punjab will fight for its claim over Chandigarh, state Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema on Monday said the Centre was adopting a "dictatorial attitude" and was "continuously imposing anti-Punjab decisions".

"If they do not refrain from this, the Aam Aadmi Party and the Punjab government will fight from road to Parliament," he told the media here.

Cheema was responding the Centre's decision on new rules governing the Chandigarh Administration employees, who are currently working under the Punjab service rules but will now come under the Central Civil Services Rules.

He said the people of Punjab would never allow the Central government's plans to end Punjab's participation in the Chandigarh administration, Panjab University, and Bhakra Beas Management Committee (BBMB) to succeed.

Cheema accused the traditional ruling parties - the Congress and the BJP - at the Centre of treating Punjab in a step-motherly manner.

"Since the formation of the Aam Aadmi Party government in Punjab under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, the Modi government has intensified its attacks on the rights of Punjab.

"The Modi government has been implementing decisions for a long time to abolish Punjab's share in Punjab University, BBMB and the Chandigarh administration and now Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced to remove Punjab service rules in the Chandigarh administration and implement Central rules.

"The verdict is one of coercion and dictatorship, which is a grand conspiracy against the Aam Aadmi Party government in Punjab," he alleged.

Cheema said the BJP government has neither talked to the Punjab government nor any such demand has been made by the employees regarding the change of service rules. "It is implementing anti-Punjab rulings under a grand conspiracy as the BJP is now threatened by AAP in Gujarat and other states after Punjab."