Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal today lashed out at the reported move of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs to merge the DSP cadre of the Chandigarh police with the police officers of all the Union Territories, including the Delhi Police.
Rubbishing the move as "mischievous and provocative", Badal, the former deputy chief minister, urged the Punjab chief minister to ensure that no one is allowed to tamper with the status of Chandigarh as the designated capital of Punjab.
Badal, in a statement here, also called upon Chief Minister Amarinder Singh to treat the issue of Punjab's right in this regard as a matter requiring top priority.
He asked Amarinder to ensure that the directives of the then Union Home Minister P Chidambaram on the division of employees between Punjab and Haryana on 60:40 basis till Chandigarh's actual transfer to Punjab be fully and honestly implemented by the UT administration.
"The UT administration is not following this ratio in appointment of DSPs, teachers or other employees. Therefore, it is not maintenance of but correction in the present status which needs to be emphasised. During his tenure as Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal had aggressively pursued the matter with the Centre, forcing the Union Home Minister to issue a fresh directive on Punjab's plea," he said.
Yesterday, Amarinder had opposed the "reported move" of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs to merge the DSP cadre of the Chandigarh Police with the police officers of all the Union Territories, including the Delhi Police.
He had demanded that status quo be maintained till the territorial dispute of Chandigarh between Punjab and Haryana is settled.
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