Days after Haryana and Punjab mutually agreed to rename the Chandigarh International Airport after freedom fighter Bhagat Singh, the issue is back in the spotlight.
The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and the Punjab Lok Congress, led by former Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh (retd.) have asked the Punjab government to clarify its stand on the demand by Haryana to add ‘Panchkula’ to the name of the airport.
Terming the demand “outrageous”, SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Monday asked Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann to break his silence on the issue.
“Mr. Mann ought to know that Mohali international airport is the result of brave stand and persistent efforts of Punjab government headed by Parkash Singh Badal. Thus, Punjab Chief Minister’s silence over Haryana government’s outrageous demand for linking Panchkula with our airport’s name is cowardly and intriguing. Please speak up for your State Mr. CM,” he said.
The naming of the Chandigarh International Airport has been a contentious issue between Punjab and Haryana for long.
In 2017, the Punjab government demanded that the airport be named ‘Shaheed-e-Azam Sardar Bhagat Singh International Airport, Mohali’.
While the Haryana government did not have any objection to the use of Bhagat Singh’s name, its objection was to the suffix ‘Mohali’ .
Since then the controversy over the name has continued.
Notably, Chandigarh International Airport’s terminal complex is in Mohali town of Punjab. The airport is a joint venture between the Airports Authority of India (AAI) and the governments of Haryana and Punjab.
Last week, Mr. Mann and Haryana Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala held a meeting and agreed to name the airport ‘Shaheed Bhagat Singh International Airport’.
Later, Mr. Chautala said that the collective contribution of the Haryana, Punjab and Chandigarh administrations was behind the construction and modernisation of the airport. “Since Haryana also had an equal share in its construction, the name of the city ‘Panchkula’ should also be added to its name,” he said, adding that he had sent a recommendation on behalf of the Haryana government to the Punjab government in this regard.
He added that the request would be sent to the Union government too.
Pritpal Singh Baliawal, chief spokesperson of the Punjab Lok Congress, alleged that the AAP government was damaging the State’s claim over its own properties by diluting Punjab’s stance over Chandigarh.
“So from now on, the airport that is built in Mohali will have Panchkula in its name. Why are you [Bhagwant Mann] so hell-bent on finishing Punjab’s claim on our own properties?” he said in a tweet.
