Chandigarh Airport to be renamed after Bhagat Singh
In his monthly address to the nation Mann Ki Baat on Sunday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that Chandigarh Airport will be renamed after freedom fighter Bhagat Singh as a tribute to the martyr. Welcoming the decision, Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann said that a long-pending wish of the people of Punjab had been fulfilled. Haryana CM Dushyant Singh Chautala welcomed the announcement as well.
Why does this story matter?
The announcement comes ahead of Bhagat Singh's birth anniversary on Wednesday. With Chandigarh serving as the joint capital of Haryana and Punjab, both the state governments had been embroiled in a tussle for seven years over renaming the airport trying to lay their claim. Both the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have been trying to appropriate Bhagat Singh.
Our efforts bore fruits: Mann thanks PM Modi
Mann, Chautala reached agreement last month
The announcement has come after Mann and Chautala held a meeting last month to discuss the issue. Chautala has said that the state governments had earlier agreed to rename the airport after the legendary freedom fighter. Mann said the Punjab government had sent a letter to the Union Civil Aviation Ministry suggesting renaming the airport on Bhagat Singh's birth anniversary on September 28.
AAP has been strategically claiming Bhagat Singh's legacy
After coming to power earlier this year, the AAP hosted Mann's swearing ceremony in Khatkar Kalan, Bhagat Singh's ancestral village. As the martyr was known to wear yellow turbans, it came to symbolize revolution and Mann has adopted it as his trademark. Mann declared March 23 as a public holiday every year as it was the day of Singh's martyrdom.
How did the debate begin?
The Bhupinder Singh Hooda-led Haryana government had agreed with Punjab to rename the airport after Bhagat Singh. But after a regime change in 2015, BJP's Manohar Lal Khattar took over and it was suggested that the airport be renamed after RSS ideologue Mangal Sen. It was seen as a power move by the BJP against the Punjab government, then ruled by Congress.
Haryana had accepted the name except for Mohali
In 2017, the Punjab Assembly passed a resolution to rename the airport as Shaheed Bhagat Singh International Airport, Mohali. The Haryana government accepted the name change except for Mohali as it falls under Punjab. The airport's terminal building falls under Mohali as the Punjab government gave land for the airport. An uproar ensued in Rajya Sabha over the issue which was settled last month.
