Almost no days into changes in the regime in Punjab, the AAM AADMI party government in the state and the center has locked the horn. Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has threatened to protest from “the street to parliament” against the announcement of the minister of UNI house Amit Shah that March 28 and so on, the Central Services Rules will apply to the UNI regional employees Chandigarh.
Calling a motion contrary to the Law Reorganization of Punjab, Mann Tweeted: “The central government has dropped officers and personnel from the state and other services in the Chandigarh administration.”
Congress and Akali Dal are on the same page with AAP about this problem, with leaders throughout the party calling it “another big blow to the rights of punjab”. Akali Dal Patriarch and former CM Parkash Singh Badal said the center “wants to seize the rights of Punjab for Chandigarh”.
The announcement
The United States of the Chandigarh employees currently works under Punjab service regulations. Shah said the shift to the central rules would benefit them in “big ways” because their retirement age would be raised from 58 to 60 years, and female employees will get child care leave for the current year.
Requests for implementing central service rules for Chandigarh employees have been delayed for 20-25 years.
The politics
The parties in Punjab saw the Shah’s announcement, which was not expected, in the context of the city poll held in December in Chandigarh, where BJP was stunned by AAP. Chandigarh is considered a BJP fortress but in December, AAP has taken a large portion of 14 seats. BJP has succeeded in winning the Mayor’s post but it is the decision contested after one voice is declared invalid.
The BJP argument
Senior leader and former MP Chandigarh Satya Pal Jain claimed that the Punjab government could not accept recommendations from various payment commissions for their employees, while the center in one received requests for UT employees was delayed for a long time. While the previous UT employees will get a salary, etc. allowances in the punjab pattern, they will get the same in the central government pattern, which will be more beneficial to them, he said.
Jain also said the decision would not affect Punjab. “When they are our employees, how does the announcement affect Punjab? We have pursued this case with the Prime Minister and Minister of Home Affairs for some time now … this decision does not conflict with any country’s interests.”