Punjab CM slams Akalis for 'diluting' state's claim on Chandigarh
Darpan News Desk IANS, 11 Jul, 2022 12:08 PM
Amritsar, July 11 (IANS) Taking note of the "baseless" statements by Akali leaders on the issue of the state capital, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Monday slammed the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leadership for diluting the claim of state on Chandigarh.
"Everyone knows who shifted the state government offices from Chandigarh to Mohali and formed New Chandigarh," he said fter paying obeisance at Sri Harmandir Sahib, popularly known as the Golden Temple here.
The Chief Minister accused SAD leaders, Parkash Singh Badal and Sukhbir Singh Badal, of conniving with the governments at the Centre to dilute the claims of Punjab over Chandigarh.
He categorically asked Sukhbir Badal to explain that why the SAD was tightlipped about Chandigarh when they were partners in the successive government at the Centre.
Mann said the Badals have remained mum for the sake of their vested political interests adding that even the Congress leadership remained mute spectator on the entire matter.
The Chief Minister further said the Akalis and the Congress were trying to score brownie points before the media by issuing baseless statements.
Mann said his government is committed for the well being of every strata of society. He said that every issue is being resolved after active consultation with the general public.
The Chief Minister, while assailing the Congress, said that its ministers had sold the trees of the state. On the contrary, he said that his government is committed for making Punjab clean, green and pollution free.
Mann said that his government will restore the pristine glory of the state in the coming days, and has decided not to allow any industrial unit to come up near Mattewara forests in Ludhiana.
Earlier, the Chief Minister, accompanied by his wife, mother, and sister paid obeisance at Sri Harmandir Sahib.
The bank employees organised demonstrations, sit-in protests, processions and rallies near their workplaces in different cities and towns protesting against the privatisation of banks undertaken by the Centre.
While complimenting the enforcement officers, he said their hands-on approach has led to large number of seizures in the state of fake and smuggled goods. He was speaking at an interactive session by FICCI CASCADE on the 'Strategies' to combat smuggling and counterfeiting, 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.
Reacting strongly to the announcement by Union Home Minister Amit Shah to bring Chandigarh union territory employees under Central civil services rules, the SAD said, "It is incumbent on the AAP government to make the Centre understand that Chandigarh is a union territory as per an ad-hoc arrangement only.
As per the Commission, as no objection has been lodged with them from anywhere on this issue, no action can be taken in advance in this matter.Starting from the 2022-23 academic year, the state government has decided to add the Hindu religious book to the curriculum of classes 6 to 12.
Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials carried out raids at 11 places in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) in connection with the fake gun licences scam in which Rs 2.78 lakh were issued to non-entitled persons. The ED carried out raids till Thursday evening.
