Himachal will fight for its share in Chandigarh's assets, says Deputy CM Mukesh Agnihotri

Amidst the tussle between Punjab and Haryana regarding Chandigarh, Himachal has also claimed that it also has a 7.19% stake in Chandigarh.

Chandigarh/Shimla: Himachal Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri claimed that not only Punjab and Haryana, but also Himachal Pradesh has a stake in Chandigarh. Addressing the media, the minister said, "Chandigarh should not be weighed only between Punjab and Haryana because Himachal Pradesh also has 7.19 per cent rights on Chandigarh. We will fight for our share and will claim strongly on every legal, administrative and political front. Himachal has not only administrative rights over Chandigarh, but also over the properties."

While taking a jibe at BJP over Old Pension Scheme (OPS), Agnihotri said, "The Congress government is bringing 1.36 lakh employees of the state under Old Pension Scheme (OPS). We had promised to implement OPS and the Cabinet has also approved it. Due to this, the employees of Himachal Pradesh are delighted and the BJP seems unhappy as BJP failed to provide the benefits of OPS and is out of power as well."

Agnihotri further said, "In 2003, the then Atal Bihari Vajpayee's government had decided to end OPS and forced the State governments to do the same. But, the employees have been demanding OPS for a long time in Himachal Pradesh. Today, in the state where there is a Congress government, the employees are being given the benefit of OPS."

Mukesh Agnihotri said, "Today the employees of every state are demanding OPS, in such a situation, if the government does not give old pensions to the employees in BJP-ruled states like Haryana, then the people will overthrow this government and the Congress government will be formed there, too." The Deputy CM said, "The Congress government of Himachal will fulfil every promise made in the elections. Out of these OPS has been approved by the Cabinet while Cabinet sub-committees have been formed to provide Rs 1,500 monthly to women aged between 18 and 59 years and one lakh jobs to youth. The Congress government will fulfil all the 10 promises made in the elections."