Chandigarh: The AAP government in Punjab has moved a resolution in the state assembly against the centralization of Panjab University by the Centre. The resolution was moved by Punjab Education Minister Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer. Introducing the resolution, Hayer said that the Union Government was trying to centralize the Panjab University.
He said that people “who love Punjab and Punjabiyat are very much concerned about this” adding that Panjab University “is our heritage”. Hayer said that when Haryana and Himachal were separated from Punjab in 1966, the Panjab University was brought to Chandigarh, after which the maintenance deficit grants to the University were to be shared and paid by the States concerned, i.e., Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and UT Administration of Chandigarh in the ratio of 20:20:20:40, respectively.
However, the Punjab government has said that the states of Haryana and Himachal Pradesh decided to withdraw from this sharing arrangement adding that the Government of Haryana also withdrew the affiliation of its colleges from the Panjab University. Pertinently, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on June 19 wrote to Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan seeking their intervention to prevent any change in the nature and character of the Panjab University.
