The Congress party has launched a sharp critique against both the Bharatiya Janata Party-led central government and the Haryana state government. The criticism stems from the Centre's refusal to allocate land within Chandigarh for the construction of a new Haryana Legislative Assembly building.
An Affront to Haryana's Dignity
Former minister and Congress MLA from Thanesar, Ashok Arora, led the charge. He accused the state's leadership of maintaining a conspicuous silence on an issue that is directly tied to Haryana's rights and dignity. Arora framed the Centre's stance as a profound insult to the 2.5 crore people of Haryana.
"Chandigarh is the joint capital of Haryana and Punjab with a 60-40 ratio," Arora stated. "Yet, Haryana is being denied land for its own assembly building in its own capital. This is a direct attack on Haryana's rights." He demanded that Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini publicly clarify his position on the matter without further delay.
Political Motives and a Call to Action
Arora alleged that the decision from New Delhi was not administrative but politically motivated. He suggested it was influenced by electoral considerations in neighbouring Punjab. "For political gains, the central government is undermining Haryana's interests. This will not be tolerated," the Congress leader asserted.
He called for immediate and concrete steps from the Haryana government. His primary demand was for CM Saini to convene an all-party meeting urgently. The objective of this meeting would be to build a unified state front to pressure the Centre for funds and a firm decision. Arora emphasized that if land in Chandigarh is not allotted, the state must formally press the Centre for the establishment of a separate capital for Haryana.
Parallels with the SYL Canal Deadlock
Broadening his argument, Arora drew a direct parallel to the long-standing Satluj-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal dispute. He pointed out that despite a Supreme Court verdict in Haryana's favour, Punjab continues to refuse the release of water. Arora accused the Centre of failing to take decisive steps to break this deadlock.
"Meetings keep happening, but Punjab's chief minister repeatedly refuses to release Haryana's share of water," he stated. "This attitude mirrors the Centre's refusal to allot land for the new assembly building." Arora concluded that Haryana is being deprived on two critical fronts where it has full rights: its share of SYL water and its legitimate space in the joint capital.
He reiterated that the Chief Minister must not only call the all-party meeting but also ensure that Haryana's rights over Chandigarh and the SYL canal are raised firmly at the national level.
