Rao sets conditions for giving up claim on UT

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 25

Union Minister of State for Defence Rao Inderjit Singh has proposed a give-and-take formula to give up Haryana’s claim on Chandigarh.

“If all Hindi-speaking areas, the state’s share of Ravi-Beas waters and finances as per the award for setting up a new capital under the Reorganisation Act are given to Haryana, the proposal of giving up Chandigarh could be considered,” he told the media here.

The minister raised a few other demands. “I have written to the Union Law Ministry and the Haryana Chief Minister for setting up a separate Bench of the Punjab and Haryana High Court in southern Haryana — Gurgaon, Rewari or at some other place,” Rao Inderjit said.

“Haryana doesn’t want a separate High Court because that will weaken its claim on Chandigarh. So, a separate Bench anywhere in the National Capital Region (NCR) will spare people the trouble of coming to Chandigarh to attend hearings,” the minister said.

On leaving the Congress, Rao Inderjit said: “All I wanted during the previous Congress government was equitable development of the state. The high revenue earnings from Gurgaon were not the consequence of government policies, but because people came and invested there. In spite of getting the revenue, funds were not spent even on basic facilities. I tried to raise the issue, but quit when I couldn’t do anything about it.”

Among the top contenders for the Chief Minister’s post when the BJP came to power in Haryana, the minister clarified that becoming the CM was not his priority. “I wanted to develop south Haryana. The tenure of previous governments has shown that development comes only to the CM’s area. If the present government does that (develop south Haryana), I will be happy.”

On his assessment of the BJP governments at the Centre and in the state, Rao Inderjit said it was too early to judge the working of the Narendra Modi and Manohar Lal Khattar governments. “Every new government has a ‘break-in’ period. The performance should be judged after the half term. I do know that the Centre is working towards, but all-round development and governance must be given a chance,” he added.