ROPAR: Resentment is brewing among the residents of Ropar residents day by day over the decision of the state government to accord district status to S.A.S.Nagar.Various organizations and political of the town have come on one platform to launch an agitation over the issue by forming a ‘Ropar Zila Bachao Sangharsh Committee’ under the chairmanship of Former District Governor Rotary International Dr.R.S.Parmar during a meeting held here Thursday evening.

The Sangharsh Committee has given a call for Ropar Bandh on March 6 to register the protest against the decision of the government to accord district status to S.A.S.Nagar thus reducing the size of Ropar district considerably.
Leaders of about 25 social and other organisations and political parties of the town participated in today’s meeting. The organizations are congress, Akali Dal, BSP, BJP, Lok Bhalai party, Lok Jana Shakti party, Rotary Club, Lions Club, District Bar Association, Bharat Vikas Prishad, Beopar Mandal, and Saini Sabha etc.

The meeting took a serious note of the Punjab government’s decision to accord district status to S.A.S.Nagar and decided to start an agitation over the issue.   

Meanwhile, the lawyers of Ropar observed a strike for the second day today and have decided to continue their strike tomorrow also.

The District Bar Association also submitted a memorandum to Additional Deputy Commissioner Surjit Singh over the issue.
In the memorandum the DBA said that  ‘This Move of the state government would adversely affect the state exchequer and people of the state. It smells of conceding to the ill designed demand of multinational companies and succumbing to the pressure of bureaucrats having property at S.A.S.Nagar and around”.

The Bar association said that the decision was a violation of provisions of Punjab Re-organisation Act as the Ropar district was created during the reorganization of Punjab.

Former Punjab Minister Madan Mohan Mittal,Ropar Muincipal Council President Ashok Wahi,BSP district president Charanjit Singh Ghai have also criticized the decision to accord district status to S.A.S.Nagar.