Recalling 2013 U’khand tragedy, BJP accuses Congress of politicising Punjab flood relief
In a sharp attack on the Congress party, the BJP has accused its rival of playing politics with flood relief efforts in Punjab. The controversy erupted after videos surfaced showing relief packages and trucks adorned with stickers and large posters of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and the party’s symbol.
The BJP quickly shared a video from news agency that shows Congress-organized aid consignments. The relief packages prominently feature stickers with an old photo of Rahul Gandhi, while the trucks carrying supplies are decked out with big posters of Congress leaders.
BJP national spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari took to social media platform X to highlight the issue. He questioned the Congress’s motives, stating, “If the objective of Congress is to provide flood relief in Punjab, why is it sticking stickers of Rahul Gandhi along with Congress symbol? It’s clear Congress’ priority is not flood relief, but politicising flood relief.”
The BJP also dragged up a past incident from the 2013 Uttarakhand floods, accusing Congress of a similar pattern. Bhandari recalled, “Even during Uttarakhand 2013, the Congress delayed flood relief for Gandhi Vadra family! For Congress, party politics is first, relief is last!”
That 2013 tragedy saw major delays in aid reaching survivors. Reports from the time indicate that at least 500 trucks carrying essential supplies like rations and food were stuck for days in cities like Rishikesh, Dehradun, Haridwar, and Haldwani. They were unable to get the necessary clearances to proceed.
Among these, 96 trucks were reportedly sent by senior Congress leaders on behalf of then-party president Sonia Gandhi and then-vice president Rahul Gandhi. Stranded along the busy 230 km Haridwar-Gangotri bypass, these trucks caused significant traffic jams while critical aid failed to reach those stranded in remote, hard-hit areas.
Truck drivers involved in the 2013 operation had shared harrowing accounts. After arriving in Dehradun, they were told to drive further into the mountains toward Srinagar but were then left completely stranded. Many reported running low on fuel and having no money for food or supplies, with no guidance or contact from the party or government officials to help them.
