Punjab, Haryana lock horns over Chandigarh– All you need to know

Following Punjab passing a resolution seeking immediate transfer of Chandigarh to the AAP-ruled state, Haryana has called a special session of the Assembly on April 5. 

New Delhi: The Punjab and Haryana governments have locked horns over their shared capital Chandigarh. Days after Punjab passed a resolution demanding immediate transfer of Chandigarh to the AAP-ruled state, the Haryana government on Sunday (April 3) summoned a one-day special session of the Assembly in Chandigarh on April 5. 

Here's a look at how the row over Chandigarh unfolded: 

The Punjab Assembly passed a resolution on Friday (April 1, 2022) seeking immediate transfer of the Union Territory after Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced that central service rules will apply to the employees of Chandigarh. Urging the Centre to “honour the principles of federalism” enshrined in the Constitution, the resolution by the Punjab government read, "Chandigarh city was created as the capital of Punjab. In all past precedents whenever a state has been divided, the capital remains with the parent state. Punjab, therefore, has been laying its claim for the complete transfer of Chandigarh to Punjab.” 

Slamming the AAP-led Punjab government over the resolution, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Saturday asked AAP national convener and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal and his Punjab counterpart Bhagwant Mann to apologise to the people of Haryana. "The AAP-led government in Punjab should first get the Satluj-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal built and transfer Punjab's Hindi-speaking areas to Haryana," Khattar said. A day earlier, he had said that Chandigarh will remain the capital of Haryana and Punjab. 

SYL canal issue has been a point of altercation for Punjab and Haryana for several decades.