Amit Shah's Plan For Chandigarh Government Employees Riles Punjab Parties

Union Home Minister Amit Shah's announcement that employees of the Chandigarh Union Territory administration will the same benefits as Central government employees has had the political parties in Punjab -- the ruling Aam Aadmi Party and the opposition Akali Dal and Congress -- up in arms. All alleged that it dilutes Punjab's claim on Chandigarh and is against the spirit of federalism. AAP alleged it was a panic reaction by the BJP after its big victory in the state.

Earlier on Sunday, Mr Shah said the service conditions of employees of the Chandigarh UT administration will be aligned to that of the central civil services, which will increase their retirement age and allow more child care leave to women.

Declaring that the employees are going to "benefit in a big way," Mr Shah said "the retirement age of employees in the Union Territory will now go up from 58 to 60 years. Women employees will now get child care leave of two years from the current one year.

Inaugurating a slew of projects of the Chandigarh Police, Mr Shah made the announcement, saying it was a "long pending demand of employees of the Chandigarh administration".

"Today, the Modi government has made a big decision… Tomorrow a notification will be issued and from the upcoming financial year (April 1) you will get the benefit," Mr Shah said.

While there was no reaction from Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann or his ministers, senior AAP leader and Delhi's Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said that BJP is "scared" of the rise of AAP.

"From 2017 to 2022 Congress ruled Punjab. Amit Shah didn't take away Chandigarh powers then. As soon as AAP formed Govt in Punjab, Amit Shah took away Chandigarh's services," Mr Sisodia tweeted.

AAP had earlier accused the Centre of attempting to control the bureaucrats in Delhi. The matter is pending in the Supreme court.

In a tweet, Shiromani Akali Dal leader Daljit Singh Cheema said, "MOH's (Ministry of Home Affairs) decision to impose central government rules on employees of Chandigarh is in violation of the spirit of the Punjab Reorg (Reorganisation) Act and must be reconsidered."

"This means denial of right of Capital to Punjab for ever. After changes in the BBMB (Bhakra Beas Management Board) rules, this is another big blow to the rights of Punjab," read another tweet.

Mr Cheema later told the media that Chandigarh being the joint capital of Punjab and Haryana, an "adhoc arrangement of UT (Union Territory) was made".

"Sixty per cent employees are of Punjab and the rest of Haryana... at the time of reorganisation, it was agreed that Punjab government rules would be applicable on employees of the UT. This decision of the Centre is dictatorial and has been taken without consulting the state of Punjab," he was quoted as saying by news agency Press Trust of India.

"Today's decision is a conspiracy to dilute Punjab's claim on Chandigarh. We oppose it," he said, adding "the decision is against the spirit of federalism".

Congress leader Sukhpal Singh Khaira said his party also condemns the decision.

"We strongly condemn dictatorial decision of BJP to usurp upon the rights of Punjab over control of Chandigarh. It belongs to Punjab and this unilateral decision is not only a direct attack on federalism but also attack on Punjab's share of 60 per cent control over UT," he tweeted.

Mr Khaira also tweeted that "I wish to remind BJP, Chandigarh is a disputed territory with Punjab's claim justified by Rajiv-Longowal Accord... Its a deceit and cheating by non less than a government".