Why Chandigarh Is Punjab and Haryana’s Joint Capital
All competitive and government exams, including those for the UPSC, SSC, Bank PO/Clerk, and other jobs that might boost your score, have a section on general knowledge. To succeed in these exams, candidates must have a solid foundation in current events and general knowledge. Identifying the city that serves as the capital of two states is one of the general knowledge problems that often appear on exams. You did hear correctly. The capital of Punjab and Haryana, Chandigarh, is the city that responds to this query.
The governments of Punjab and Haryana both claim ownership of Chandigarh, and this is a point of controversy between the two states.
On April 1, 2022, the Punjab Assembly approved a motion calling for the quick handover of Chandigarh to the state. The resolution states that Punjab was separated into Haryana in 1966, and that whenever a state has been split in the past, the capital has remained with the parent state. As a result, Punjab has been arguing that Chandigarh should be completely transferred to the state. The resolution said, “This House once again recommends to the state government to raise the matter with the central government to immediately transfer Chandigarh to Punjab for maintaining harmony and taking the sentiments of the people.”
Both states made a claim to Chandigarh’s union territory after Punjab was reorganized in 1966 and Haryana was separated from it. The split of the state was based on the Punjabi-speaking Punjab and the Hindi-speaking Haryana. Himachal Pradesh was also given certain areas. Chandigarh thereafter adopted the distinctive personality of the joint capital.
The late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi used it as a temporary fix to end the conflict at hand. The city’s administration was put under the direct control of the Centre when she designated it a UT. However, Chandigarh still continued to work more favorably for Punjab due to the 60:40 property divide. However, the status of the UT as the joint capital of Punjab and Haryana had to be extended by the Centre in 1976.
