Governor`s address: Punjab stakes claim to river waters, Chandigarh

Chandigarh: The Punjab government on Tuesdday reiterated its claim over Chandigarh and Punjabi speaking areas of Haryana, and alleged that Centre is discriminating against it on economic matters.

These emotive issues were touched upon by Punjab governor Shivraj V Patil during his customary address on the opening day of the Vidhan Sabha amid boycott by the opposition Congress. "There are many important issues relating to the state which remain unresolved. The state has been denied its capital Chandigarh and vast Punjabi speaking areas have been left out of it at the time of re-organisation in 1966. The deadline for the purpose of transfer of Chandigarh to Punjab was set by government of India as January 26, 1986. It has not been done so far," Patil said in his 37 minutes address to the Assembly. On the vexed issue of utilisation of water of the rivers passing through the state, the governor said the Riparian principle should be implemented for expeditious disposal of the important matter. Earlier as Patil was about to begin his address, leader of opposition Sunil Jakhar stood up to protest against Revenue Minister Bikram Singh Majithia, saying how could he continue as a minister even after being named an accused by alleged drug racket kingpin Jagdish Singh Bhola. Majithia, who is the brother-in-law of Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal, had denied the charge. However, Majithia and another minister Anil Joshi who too is facing heat for allegedly getting enrolled as dual voter were absent from the house. Deputy Chief Minister was also conspicuous by his absence on the opening day.