Chandigarh, Mar 28 (PTI) Former Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh on Monday lashed out at AAP leaders for slamming the Centre’s decision to bring the staff of the Chandigarh administration under the central service rules, asking them what is wrong if the long-pending demand of the employees have been met.
He hit out at the ruling party leaders, including Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, “for distorting and misinterpreting a routine administrative decision of the Centre providing central benefits to the employees working with the Union Territory administration”.
In a statement, the Punjab Lok Congress chief said this was a long-pending demand of the employees, many of whom come from Punjab.
“Now that the central government has agreed to their demand, what is wrong about it and where does Punjab’s claim over Chandigarh get diluted with this?” asked Singh, whose party is an ally of the BJP.
“Otherwise, I will be the first person to oppose any such move that will go against the interests of Punjab,” he added.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s announcement here on Sunday that the central service rules will apply to the employees of the Union Territory of Chandigarh has evoked sharp reactions from AAP, Congress and SAD leaders, with many of them saying this was “another big blow to the rights of Punjab” after changes in the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) rules.
Mann on Monday slammed the Centre’s decision on the employees, claiming that it went against the Punjab Reorganisation Act.
Singh asked AAP leaders as also those from other political parties “to desist from misinformation on routine administrative matters just to score brownie points”.
He appealed to the opposition party leaders that they “must not fall in the trap of AAP and pursue its agenda to divert attention from important issues”.
“You should better hold the AAP government accountable and answerable to the promises they made and are now trying to wriggle out, instead of raking up issues that have no impact on Punjab’s claim over Chandigarh,” he said. PTI SUN VSD KVK ANB ANB
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Source: The Print
