Punjab will never relinquish its rights: Mann on Centre's rollback of PU order

In the wake of Centre rescinding its notification to alter the constitution and composition of the Panjab University's Senate and Syndicate, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Saturday accused the BJP of wanting to ''capture'' everything related to Punjab, but asserted the state would never surrender its rights. His remarks came a day after the Centre withdrew its October 28 notification, which proposed restructuring of the Panjab University's governing bodies, Senate and Syndicate, following mounting pressure from various political leaders and protesting students. In response to a question about the Centre's decision concerning PU, Mann said, ''Panjab University is a legacy of Punjab, and the Punjab government provides funding for it.'' Targeting the BJP, Mann accused the Centre of trying to infiltrate the Senate and Syndicate illegally. A controversy arose when the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Congress, and the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) opposed the Centre's earlier proposal to restructure PU's governing bodies via the October 28 notification. The order amended the Panjab University Act, 1947, reducing the size of the Senate, an apex government body, to 31, doing away with elections for its executive body, the Syndicate. However, on Friday, the Ministry of Education announced that the notification for changing the constitution and composition of the Panjab University Senate and Syndicate stands rescinded. Mann pointed out that the BJP had previously attempted to intervene in the Senate and Syndicate of PU, referencing the BJP-ruled Haryana's earlier demand for the affiliation of colleges in several districts - Ambala, Panchkula, and Yamunanagar - with PU. ''I had completely rejected that demand,'' Mann stated, adding, ''In reality, they wanted to enter the (PU's) Senate.'' ''The BJP wants to capture anything related to Punjab,'' Mann alleged. He also cited the Bhakra Beas Management Board as an example. ''Whether it's our fight for PU, BBMB, or other issues, Punjab will never relinquish its rights,'' he remarked.

When asked about allegations of vote tampering, Mann said that if any party raises questions about electronic voting machines (EVMs) or claims of deleted votes, the Election Commission should respond instead of ''ignoring'' the concerns. ''If any party, whether in Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, or Chhattisgarh, questions the EVM, why does the BJP support them? It suggests there is something amiss,'' he said. Before the Delhi assembly elections, AAP had informed the Election Commission of India (ECI) that votes were being deleted, said Mann. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had also alleged on November 5 that the 2024 Haryana assembly elections were ''stolen,'' citing electoral roll data that claimed 25 lakh entries were fraudulent and that the Election Commission colluded with the BJP to ensure its victory.

Regarding the Tarn Taran bypoll, Mann said his government was seeking votes based on its record of development. ''We have created 58,962 government jobs so far,'' he added.