Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann denies affiliation of Haryana colleges with Panjab University
Chandigarh, June 6: Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Monday said no to the affiliation of Haryana colleges with Panjab University (PU), Chandigarh. "They had come up with Kurukshetra University for their colleges. Now, why are they refusing to accept the value of their own university," he questioned.
Notably, CM Bhagwant Mann attended the second round of discussions with Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar in the presence of Governor Banwarilal Purohit earlier. For the unversed, Haryana has been demanding affiliation of its colleges with PU. The third round of talks will take place on July 3.
However, the Punjab CM has unequivocally stated that: “We will listen to them whenever they want to talk, but we will not agree to affiliate colleges in Haryana with PU." "They had come up with Kurukshetra University for their colleges. Now, why are they refusing to accept the value of their own university?” he said.
“PU is the legacy of Punjab woven with public emotions, culture and literature,” CM Bhagwant Mann said.
“Following partition, the original university campus in Lahore was shifted to Hoshiarpur. It was originally divided in share of 20:20:20:40 for the states of Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and the Centre. In 1970, former Haryana chief minister Bansi Lal announced that the state would no longer affiliate its colleges with PU. In 1973 too, Haryana chose not to be a part of the PU senate. Himachal too had separated,” he added.
"Haryana no longer has right over PU. In today's meeting, I was told that Haryana was willing to pay its contribution to the university and have its colleges affiliated with PU," CM Bhagwant Mann said.
He, however, showed a three-day-old letter by the Haryana Additional Chief Secretary and said, “Vice Chancellors in Haryana have been asked to manage their own funds. When they don’t have money for their own educational institutions what will they give us.”
The Chief Minister also mentioned two letters written by his government to Centre, seeking all efforts to convert PU into a central university be halted.
“Already 35 percent of students on the campus are from Haryana and they are most welcome to join us. However, we will not allow colleges in Haryana to be affiliated with PU even if they have more meetings. Haryana politicians are looking for entry into the university senate for political reasons. Nothing more”.
Khattar stated at the June 1 meeting that under the Punjab Reorganisation Act of 1966, Haryana's share was handed to Panjab University, and Haryana's colleges and regional centres were affiliated with PU. It was, however, repealed by notification in 1973.
The Haryana Assembly unanimously passed a resolution last year suggesting that the government seek the restoration of the state's stake in Panjab University.
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- PTC NEWS
