Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Friday met Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit, urging him to intervene and direct Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann to withdraw his statement surrounding the demand from the central government to allot land to Punjab on the lines of Haryana to build its own Assembly.
Terming Mr. Mann’s statement as ‘surrendering Punjab’s rights on Chandigarh’ SAD president Sukhbir Badal alleged that the AAP government, led by Mr. Mann, has failed to protect the interests of Punjab, and had not protested against the steady erosion of Punjab’s rights in Chandigarh, including the creation of the U.T. cadre, implementation of central pay scales, and dilution of the status of Punjabi language, besides other important issues such as removal of Punjab’s representative in the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB).
In a memorandum to the Governor, Mr. Badal asserted that Chandigarh was an inalienable part of Punjab and urged the Governor to apprise the Centre and recommend the transfer of Chandigarh to Punjab.
