Chandigarh's Future Ignites Fierce Battle: Punjab Accuses Centre of 'Capital Snatch'

A political firestorm has erupted in Punjab, you see, and it's all thanks to a recent move by the Union government regarding the administrative rules for Chandigarh. This isn't just about bureaucratic fine print; for Punjab, it feels like a direct assault, a deeply unsettling 'capital snatch' that undermines its historical rights and federal standing.

The core of the dispute? The Centre's decision to implement Central Civil Service Rules for employees of the Chandigarh administration. For decades, the employees serving in this unique Union Territory, which also happens to be the joint capital of both Punjab and Haryana, have operated under Punjab service rules. This arrangement, a long-standing tradition, has been a quiet acknowledgment of Punjab's deep-rooted claim to the city.

But here's the rub: with a stroke of a pen, these rules are changing. And what does Punjab make of all this? Utter outrage, to put it mildly. Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, leading the newly formed AAP government, has been vocal, calling the move a direct attack on Punjab's federal structure. He and other state leaders are adamant that Chandigarh belongs to Punjab, and this latest step is nothing short of an attempt to erode that claim, bit by painful bit.

Indeed, this isn't the first time such concerns have surfaced. Chandigarh holds a special, often contentious, place in Indian federalism. Born out of the partition of Punjab in 1966 when Haryana was carved out, it was designated as a Union Territory and the shared capital, with the understanding that it would eventually go to Punjab. That promise, many in Punjab feel, has never been fully honored, and actions like these only deepen the sense of betrayal.

Beyond CM Mann, leaders from across the political spectrum in Punjab – from the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) to the Congress – have echoed similar sentiments. They view the Centre's action as an encroachment, a unilateral decision that disregards the state's aspirations and historical legacy. It's a stark reminder, they argue, of the ongoing tension between central authority and state autonomy in India.

So, while the Centre might frame this as a purely administrative reform, perhaps aiming for uniformity or improved service conditions, Punjab sees it through a very different lens. It’s about identity, about unfulfilled promises, and about the fundamental principles of federalism. This particular dispute over Chandigarh's service rules, small as it might seem to an outsider, is a poignant symbol of a much larger, deeply emotional battle for Punjab's place and rights within the Indian Union.