Chandigarh, Nov 22 (IANS) The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Punjab on Saturday opposed the proposed Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill that the central government is bringing in the upcoming winter session of Parliament.

AAP Punjab State General Secretary Baltej Pannu said that this amendment is completely against the interests of Punjab.

He warned that the Aam Aadmi Party will not allow this conspiracy being hatched by the Centre against Punjab to succeed at any cost. Baltej Pannu launched a direct attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) at the Centre, saying it is beyond understanding what kind of enmity the BJP-led Central government has with Punjab.

He said that every day the central government brings forward something or the other to test the self-respect of Punjab and Punjabis.

Citing past incidents, he said that whether it was the attempt to forcibly take control of the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) to gain control over water, or the recently issued notifications regarding the Panjab University dispute, because of which students are still protesting.

He further stated that now a new issue has come to light, that in the upcoming session of Parliament, an amendment to Article 240 is being introduced.

Through this amendment, all powers and administration of Chandigarh, which is currently a Union Territory, will come completely under the authority of the President of India.

This will directly mean that Punjab’s rights over Chandigarh will be entirely eliminated.

AAP General Secretary Pannu made it clear that Chandigarh is a city built by displacing Punjab’s villages, and therefore it belongs solely to Punjab.

After this amendment, Chandigarh will be treated like Union Territories such as Andaman-Nicobar or Puducherry, with complete administration under the President. Pannu said that Punjab has always fought for its rights and will continue to fight in the future.

He assured that the Aam Aadmi Party and Punjab’s Bhagwant Mann government will strongly oppose this move.

He said: “We will not let our rights be destroyed, and under no circumstances will we allow an amendment to Article 240. Whatever tough stand we need to take, we will take it.”

–IANS

vg/pgh