In Punjab’s state Assembly, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) lawmakers turned up the heat on Friday, waving placards and chanting slogans against the Central government. They slammed the Centre for offering empty words to the flood-hit people of Punjab, while delivering zero real help.
AAP leaders pointed out that Prime Minister Narendra Modi promised Rs 1,600 crore in aid during his visit to the flood-ravaged areas. But 20 days later, not a single rupee has reached the state. “This amount is way too small to rebuild lives anyway,” they argued, highlighting the massive damage from the floods.
Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema didn’t hold back. He accused the Congress party of shielding the Central government from accountability. With both BJP MLAs, Jangi Lal Mahajan and Ashwani Kumar Sharma, skipping the special session, Cheema called out the BJP for abandoning Punjab in its time of need. “The BJP isn’t stepping up to help our people during this crisis,” he said. He also blasted Congress for “misleading Punjabis and playing politics with their pain.”
Cheema painted a stark picture of the disaster. It all kicked off in Kapurthala district in August, escalating into Punjab’s worst floods by month’s end. Rivers overflowed, destroying homes, farms, and infrastructure. The state government jumped into action, deploying every resource for rescue and relief. AAP ministers and MLAs rolled up their sleeves to support victims on the ground.
But Cheema questioned why the Central government dropped the ball on its federal duties. The Prime Minister’s visit came nearly a month after the floods started—too late, in his view. He contrasted this with India’s quick aid to Afghanistan, asking why Punjab got the short end. “Even worse, that Rs 1,600 crore package Modi announced? Nothing has been released yet,” Cheema said.
During Modi’s tour of the flood zones, Cheema criticized it as a quick photo-op. “He didn’t even stop to console a family that lost three members to the waters,” he told the Assembly. Cheema also reminded everyone that Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann wrote to Modi in late August, urging the release of Rs 60,000 crore in pending funds. Yet, the PM seems more open to chatting with appointed chief ministers than elected ones like Mann, he noted.
Cheema expressed frustration over the absent BJP lawmakers, saying they could have explained where that promised relief money is. “Today, the BJP’s true colors are out for the whole country to see,” he added.
Earlier in the day, during the two-day special session of the Vidhan Sabha, State Water Resources Minister Barinder Kumar Goyal introduced a key resolution. It calls for a Rs 20,000 crore special package to help flood-affected families, farmers, and rebuild Punjab’s battered infrastructure. As recovery efforts continue, the push for faster Central support grows louder amid the ongoing Punjab floods debate.
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