Haryana speaker: UT must keep in view earlier decisions to settle issue
CHANDIGARH: Expressing optimism over Union Territory (UT) Chandigarh allotting land for the construction of additional Vidhan Sabha complex, Haryana assembly speaker Gian Chand Gupta on Friday said the UT administration should settle this matter keeping in view its earlier decisions like allowing Punjab and Haryana to construct separate mini-secretariats.
“Punjab was allotted land to construct mini-secretariat in Chandigarh when the neighbouring government was facing space problem in the main secretariat. Later, the UT administration also allotted land for Haryana mini secretariat,” Gupta said, a day after Chandigarh administrator and Punjab governor Banwarilal Purohit said that no one-sided decision will be taken on this matter.
The Punjab governor was also quoted as saying that Punjab will be taken into confidence in this matter. Ever since Union home minister Amit Shah announced (at Jaipur during Northern Zone Council meeting) that land will be given to Haryana for the construction of additional Vidhan Sabha complex in Chandigarh, all the opposition political parties of Punjab have been opposing the move.
Punjab’s often repeated stand has been that Chandigarh (joint Capital of Punjab and Haryana) is its inalienable part.
Hence, Haryana getting land in Chandigarh to construct additional Vidhan Sabha complex has a huge political significance.
“I am hopeful that (Punjab) governor will decide this matter keeping in view the decisions taken earlier on similar issues,” Gupta said, reiterating that any decision on this hot-button issue should be taken keeping in mind previous decisions and the traditions that the UT administration had followed. Responding to a question, Gupta, who recently met the Punjab governor to discuss this issue, said decision on Haryana’s proposals should be taken keeping in view “all the pros and cons”. He said Haryana needs land because assembly secretariat has been facing a major space shortage.
Haryana’s grouse
One of the arguments of the Haryana government is that after the proposed delimitation in 2026, Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha elections will be held in 2029. It is estimated that according to the population of Haryana in the new delimitation, the number of assembly constituencies will be 126 and the number of Lok Sabha constituencies will be 14.
At present, there are 90 MLAs in the Haryana assembly where the space shortage is a major issue. Haryana says on the one hand, the present building doesn’t have space for ministers and Vidhan Sabha committees, and on the other hand, there are about 20 rooms that Punjab still occupies which should be handed over to Haryana under 60:40 division of assets. Haryana has clarified that construction of an additional Vidhan Saabha building doesn’t mean that the state will leave its claim of rightful share in the existing Vidhan Sabha building which also houses the Punjab assembly.