The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has strongly opposed the decision to build the Haryana Legislative Assembly complex in Chandigarh. The party questioned, if Haryana is offering 12 acres of land in Panchkula to the Chandigarh administration, why is the assembly not being built there instead?

AAP MLA and former minister Anmol Gagan Maan said in a press conference on Wednesday that in 1966, when Haryana was carved out of Punjab, it was promised that Chandigarh would be handed over to Punjab after some time. Until Haryana built its own capital, Chandigarh would remain a Union Territory. However, 58 years have passed, and Chandigarh has not been handed over to Punjab, he said.

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She stated that Chandigarh belongs entirely to Punjab, as it was built on the lands of 22 villages of Punjab. The decision to build a legislative assembly for Haryana in Chandigarh is completely wrong. We will not tolerate it. This decision is entirely against Punjab.

Citing the example of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, Anmol Gagan Maan said that when Telangana was created in 2014, it was immediately decided that Hyderabad would be the capital of Telangana, and Andhra Pradesh would establish its new capital in Amaravati. In this year’s budget, the Modi government announced Rs 15,000 crore for Andhra Pradesh’s new capital and promised Rs 50,000 crore over the next few years.

“If a quick decision and financial assistance could be given to Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, what prevents similar treatment from being extended to Punjab?” she asked, claiming that the Haryana assembly is being built in Chandigarh to establish Haryana’s permanent claim over the city. “This is a major conspiracy against Punjab, and we will fight it on all fronts, she added.

The AAP leader accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress of deliberately delaying the matter for years, despite both parties having been in power in Punjab, Haryana, and at the Centre at various times.

She pointed out that the BJP was in power in all three regions from 2014 to 2017, and even when in coalition with the Shiromani Akali Dal in Punjab, it did nothing and instead harmed the state. Similarly, the Congress also delayed the matter. Both parties must explain their actions.