Chandigarh: Haryana and Punjab, that are already caught in a tussle over the Sutlej Yamuna Hyperlink (SYL) canal and sharing of Ravi-Beas waters, at the moment are locking horns over one other challenge the states have didn’t resolve for years: Panjab College.
Haryana, which was carved out of Punjab in 1966, had a share within the iconic Chandigarh-based college till 1976, when the then chief minister of Haryana, Bansi Lal, pulled out.
Since 2018, the state has been attempting to reclaim its stake within the establishment — looking for affiliation for Haryana schools — however Punjab has dug its heels in.
Within the present iteration of the row, Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit Thursday chaired a gathering between Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar of the BJP and Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann of the AAP over the previous’s demand.
In a press notice, Haryana claimed after the assembly that constructive steps had been taken in the direction of restoration of the state’s rights over Panjab College.
Nonetheless, Punjab dismissed Haryana’s declare over the college via a press notice of its personal, and stated Panjab College is the heritage of the state and any kind of change in it is not going to be tolerated.
With each states toughening their stance, the governor has fastened one other assembly on 5 June to take a ultimate resolution.
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An iconic establishment
Panjab College is a state college funded by each the Punjab authorities in addition to the Centre. It counts amongst its alumni a number of outstanding personalities, together with former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and the late former Union overseas minister Sushma Swaraj.
Others within the listing embrace former Haryana CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda, actor and MP Kirron Kher, Haryana minister Anil Vij, industrialist Sunil Mittal, former IPS officer Kiran Bedi, and the late humourist Jaspal Bhatti.
In line with the college web site, the college has been accredited with 3.35 CGPA on a four-point scale, with Grade ‘A’, by the Union authorities’s Nationwide Evaluation and Accreditation Council (NAAC) for larger training establishments.
It consists of 188 affiliated schools, and the college is ranked 25 and 41 beneath the ‘college’ and ‘total’ classes, respectively, of the Nationwide Institute Rating Framework (NIRF) 2022.
Generally known as the College of Punjab earlier, Panjab College was established in 1882 in Lahore, now in Pakistan.
After the Partition, the college was first arrange with an administrative workplace at Solan, and educating departments at Hoshiarpur, Jalandhar, Amritsar and Delhi.
It was relocated to Chandigarh in 1956. The present campus is unfold over an space of 550 acres in Sector 14 and 25 of the town, which serves because the joint capital of Punjab and Haryana.
The college initially had regional centres at Rohtak, Jalandhar and Shimla. After the reorganisation in 1966, when Punjab was trifurcated into Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Punjab, the previous two had been additionally given rights over the college.
Nonetheless, Haryana unilaterally eliminated its schools from the ambit of Panjab College in 1975-76, and stopped aiding it. At present, solely schools in Punjab and Chandigarh fall beneath the ambit of the college.
In 2018, looking for to revive Haryana’s declare, Manohar Lal Khattar wrote to the Union dwelling minister.
By the letter, Haryana supplied a grant to the college, and in return sought affiliation of faculties in some districts.
The transfer was, nonetheless, opposed by the then Punjab CM Capt Amarinder Singh, who stated Haryana gained’t be allowed to “meddle with Panjab College.
On 10 August 2022, the Haryana meeting handed a unanimous decision recommending that the federal government search a share within the Panjab College.
Haryana’s demand is predicated on an initiative taken by Panchkula MLA (now meeting speaker) Gian Chand Gupta, an alum of the establishment.
Contacted by ThePrint Thursday, Gupta stated his “years-long efforts appear to have fructified now”.
The Punjab governor’s opinion on this matter could be very clear, that there was nothing mistaken in Haryana’s declare to affiliate its schools with Panjab College, he added.
“I met CM Manohar Lal Khattar after the assembly Thursday, and he stated he had even supplied Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann to affiliate schools from his state with any of the state universities of Haryana, if he so needs,” Gupta stated, including that Haryana seeks to affiliate schools positioned in Panchkula, Ambala and Yamunanagar districts with Panjab College.
In line with Gupta, Haryana’s declare over Panjab College is as legitimate as its declare over Chandigarh.
“On the time of reorganisation of Punjab… the best way Haryana acquired a share within the excessive courtroom, the meeting, the secretariat and Chandigarh, it additionally acquired a share in Panjab College,” he stated.
“In 1976, the then CM Bansi Lal withdrew Haryana schools from this college for some private causes. Now, we would like Haryana to get its reliable share,” he added.
Requested why precisely did Haryana withdraw, Gupta stated, “I used to be informed that in an occasion organised by Panjab College, CMs of Punjab in addition to Haryana had been invited. Whereas the Punjab CM was given a seat on the dais, Bansi Lal was supplied a seat within the entrance row among the many viewers. This aggravated the Haryana chief, resulting in the withdrawal.”
What occurred on the assembly
In line with the press notice, Khattar famous on the assembly that “in at the moment’s period, the universities of the states are additionally being affiliated with worldwide universities”.
“The purpose of the Nationwide Training Coverage is that each one academic establishments ought to cooperate within the progress of the nation and the mutual relations of all of the states ought to be additional strengthened,” he added. “Subsequently, affiliation of faculties of Haryana ought to be achieved with Panjab College, Chandigarh.”
The Haryana CM stated Panjab College is a state- and central-government-funded college the place Haryana’s schools must also have affiliation.
“The Haryana authorities, together with the Centre, will take Panjab College ahead, in order that the college turns into affluent and its wants are fulfilled.”
In line with the press notice, Punjab CM Mann sought a while to finalise these topics, whereas Purohit favoured the affiliation of Haryana’s schools with Panjab College.
“The Punjab governor exhorted each the chief ministers that the issues associated to Panjab College ought to be taken ahead with mutual consent,” stated the Haryana authorities press notice. “The problem of affiliation of Haryana schools to Panjab College isn’t a giant challenge; it’s doable to take action. This collaboration of Haryana and Punjab will definitely be a very good begin.”
In the meantime, the Punjab authorities acknowledged that “Chief Minister (Bhagwant Singh Mann)… stated [during the meeting] that the Punjab authorities is dedicated to safeguarding the rights of the state and its individuals”.
“Bhagwant Mann, who firmly positioned on document the details pertaining to the college, stated that this premier academic institute has an emotional place within the hearts of the individuals of Punjab on account of historic, cultural and provincial causes,” it added. “He stated that Panjab College is a logo of Punjab’s legacy and is synonymous with the identify of the state.”
The notice stated Mann categorically made it clear that the college caters solely to the state of Punjab and its capital Chandigarh. Citing the historical past of the college, “its structure, its ethnic, socio-cultural and historic roots in addition to its college and college students, who hail primarily from the state”, Mann stated it was necessary “that the current authorized and administrative standing of the Panjab College ought to be preserved”.
That is an up to date model of the report
(Edited by Sunanda Ranjan)
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