Punjab BJP President Sunil Jakhar today made it emphatically clear that Chandigarh belongs to Punjab and the state’s claim on the city was non-negotiable and indisputable.
The State BJP chief, while reacting to the manifesto promise of Congress party’s Chandigarh candidate Manish Tiwari who in essence listed out his party’s intent to dilute Punjab’s claim over Chandigarh by announcing it as ‘city state’, said the Congress appears to have succumbed under pressure with nobody in command and leaders singing their own tune at the cost of Punjab.
“There is no cohesion in the Congress in policy and decision making. The Congress has outsourced its policies to people like Ambika Soni, Sam Pitroda and others who are bereft of the ground realities in Punjab and elsewhere, Sunil Jakhar said. Congress's attempt to alienate Chandigarh from Punjab will be met with every possible resistance from the BJP, Sunil Jakhar said.
“The Punjab Congress should clear its stand on this issue. Why just the Congress? What has AAP and Bhagwant Mann to say on this issue that talks to forfeit Punjab’s rights. These two parties cannot run with the hare and hunt with the hound,” Sunil Jakhar said.
Lambasting Bhagwant Mann, the state BJP chief said even Mann has in a way diluted Punjab’s claim on Chandigarh when he talked about building a new separate Vidhan Sabha of Punjab in Chandigarh when there already exists one. “Both the Congress and the AAP have a varying stance. They are fighting as an alliance in Chandigarh. The AAP should forthwith withdraw its support to Manish Tiwari to come clean on the issue, or else it will become amply clear that the AAP wants to forfeit Punjab’s claim on Chandigarh,” Sunil Jakhar said.
Lamenting the ideological bankruptcy of the Congress, the State BJP president maintained that leaders like Ambika Soni, Channi , Warring or Randhawas tried to divide Punjab on Hindu-Sikh lines; Sam Pitroda crassly talked of distinguishing Indian communities in states based on their appearances while Congress leader Sukhpal Khaira spoke mindlessly on segregating Punjab geographically by barring non-Punjabi’s to work or own property here.