The ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Punjab on Saturday termed the Himachal Pradesh government’s claim of its share in Chandigarh “absurd and baseless”.

The neighbouring state formed a committee to claim its share in the Union Territory (UT).

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“The Aam Aadmi Party-led Mann Government utterly rejects this so-called claim. We will not tolerate any attempt by anyone to attack the rights of Punjab,” AAP Punjab chief spokesperson Malvinder Singh Kang said in a statement.

He further said that only Punjab has all the rights on Chandigarh, which is built by depopulating the villages of Punjab, but unfortunately, during the sixties, the Congress government in Centre cheated Punjab by giving parts of Chandigarh to Haryana.

Kang questioned the in-charge of Himachal Congress and the Leader of Opposition in Punjab Assembly, Pratap Singh Bajwa, whether he is also involved in these schemes being carried out by the Congress government in the hill state. “Will Bajwa clarify his stand on this issue?,” he asked.

Attacking the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress, Kang said history is witness to the fact that these two parties have always tried to rob Punjab of its rights. “But the Mann Government will not allow anyone to attack Punjab’s rights. We assure the Punjabis that the Aam Aadmi Party and the Mann government will always guard the interests of Punjab,” he added.

The Himachal Pradesh government on Saturday formed a committee to study the agreements between the states under the Punjab Reorganisation Act and advice on its claim for share in the UT. The Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu-led government maintains that under the Punjab Reorganisation Act of 1966, Himachal Pradesh has 7.19 per cent right over Chandigarh. Haryana and Himachal Pradesh were created as separate states as power re-organisation of Punjab in 1966.

Chandigarh was made centrally administered Union Territory but it continues to be the joint capital of Punjab and Haryana. Both Punjab and Haryana have made claims and counterclaims to transfer the city to them. However, Himachal Pradesh is now demanding a share of 7.19 percent on the basis of the Punjab population which was made part of Himachal.