Chandigarh: Leader of opposition in Punjab assembly Partap Singh Bajwa has criticised the BJP-led central govt’s decision to allocate 10 acres of land in Chandigarh to Haryana for building a legislative assembly.
Bajwa called the decision an affront to Punjab’s rights, describing it as a serious encroachment on the state’s historical claims over Chandigarh. The Congress leader condemned the move as an attack on Punjab’s autonomy, arguing that Chandigarh, developed on Punjab’s land, had always been integral to the state’s identity. “The Union BJP govt has continually trampled upon Punjab’s autonomy,” he said, characterising the decision as an attempt to coerce Punjab into submission or risk further erosion of its rights.
The senior leader described the land allocation as an “insult” to Punjabis and a direct threat to Punjab’s historical and cultural ties to Chandigarh. Any move to develop a separate legislative space for Haryana in Chandigarh, he argued, undermined Punjab’s long-standing connection to the Union territory. “We will not tolerate this decision. It is entirely against Punjab,” Bajwa said, underscoring his commitment to defending Punjab’s claim over Chandigarh.