Punjab Governor Writes to EAM Jaishankar, Requests US Consulate in Chandigarh

GG News Bureau

Chandigarh, 17th June. The Punjab government requested on Friday that a US Consulate be established in Chandigarh.

Banwari Lal Purohit, Governor of Punjab, stated in a letter to External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar that this request is made against the background of the growing demand of people from the state.

“The Governor mentioned that Punjabis are adventurous people who travel all over the world. They also form a sizable segment of the Indian diaspora in the US. The speciality of this segment is that its members are conscious of their roots and are in constant touch with their people back at home in India. This makes a good case for a US Consulate in Chandigarh which is the nerve centre of Punjabi culture,” according to the letter released from the Punjab Raj Bhavan.

The Governor referred to the demand for an additional Consulate in India which is being pressed for even in the United States by influential Congressmen, which further bolsters the demand, the letter further read.

It further stated that India has up to five consulates in the United States, whereas the United States only has four consulates in India.

The Governor stated that opening a US Consulate in Chandigarh would benefit the state’s social, economic, and cultural dimensions, and he asked the Ministry of External Affairs to pursue this matter with appropriate American authorities.