Chandigarh, Oct 1 () – Punjab Cabinet Minister Aman Arora fired sharp criticism at the BJP-led central government Wednesday, calling out its “anti-Punjab stance” and “deceptive tactics” in handling the state’s urgent plea for flood relief funding.
Speaking to reporters, Arora highlighted how the Centre and the Press Information Bureau twisted facts right after Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann met Union Home Minister Amit Shah. “This is a clear betrayal of Punjab and its people,” he said. “The BJP’s true anti-Punjabi colors are out in the open once more.”
Arora explained that after devastating floods hit Punjab hard, Mann met Shah on Tuesday to push three key demands. First, a special Rs 13,800 crore package for flood relief and rebuilding efforts. Second, easier rules for the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) and National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) to get real help to families and farmers. Third, extra support for crop losses from heavy rains, including issues like broken rice, discolored grains, and high moisture content.
Shah promised support “as needed,” Arora noted. But hours later, a PIB statement flipped the script. It claimed Punjab already has Rs 12,590 crore ready in SDRF funds, dodging the actual demands. Arora called this a “blatant lie” meant to confuse everyone.
“Even if Punjab squeezes every drop from those funds under the Centre’s strict rules, we’d get less than Rs 1,200 crore,” he said. “Our damages run into thousands of crores—5 lakh acres of crops wiped out, plus homes, schools, hospitals, and roads destroyed. Crop losses alone hit Rs 340 crore at Rs 6,800 per acre. How can they pretend a tiny slice of SDRF covers this Punjab flood disaster?”
Arora also pointed to Mann’s August 31 letter to the Centre, urging updates to SDRF norms for fairer aid. He wants death compensation bumped from Rs 4 lakh to Rs 8 lakh, disability aid to Rs 1.5 lakh, and house damage payouts raised from a pitiful Rs 6,500 to at least Rs 50,000.
“In today’s world, can any family rebuild with Rs 6,500?” Arora asked. “We’re just fighting for justice for our people. Is that so wrong?”
He didn’t hold back on the Prime Minister’s announced Rs 1,600 crore package either, labeling it “fake news and propaganda.” Most of it isn’t fresh cash, he said—Rs 805 crore comes from old allocations, Rs 170 crore was already approved by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), and the rest pulls from ongoing programs like the PM Awas Yojana. Even the Rs 260 crore SDRF advance would have arrived anyway, flood or no flood.
“This is straight-up backstabbing Punjab in its time of need,” Arora said. “Families have lost homes, kids their schoolbooks, and folks are still scraping for meals. Meanwhile, the Centre tricks us with bogus numbers on flood relief.”
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