Why Punjab, Haryana, and Himachal stake claim to Chandigarh?

After Home Minister Amit Shah's announcement of bringing Chandigarh administration employees under the ambit of the central government, the debate over whether the Union Territory is a part of Punjab, Haryana or Himachal has come to the fore again.

The Punjab Reorganisation Act is again in the news after Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday announced that the government staffers in the Union Territory of Chandigarh will be considered as Central Government employees from Monday, March 28.

After the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) appointment controversy, the latest announcement has seemingly stirred up discontent in Punjab, with political parties alleging that the Union government is trying to infringe on the rights of the people of Punjab.

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Successive Punjab governments have been claiming that Chandigarh was an integral part of Punjab. The claim, according to politicians in Punjab, was justified by the Rajiv Longowal Accord of 1985.

Akali Dal feels that the move was an attempt to 'dilute' Punjab's right to the capital as till Sunday, the UT’s employees were being governed by the Punjab Civil Services Rules.

The Punjab Reorganisation Act was passed on September 18, 1966, to provide for the reorganisation of the existing state of Punjab. This act came into existence after the formation of the states of Punjab and Haryana and the Union Territory of Chandigarh and the subsequent transfer of the hill areas to Himachal Pradesh.

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