Aam Aadmi Party's Chief Spokesperson, MLA and former Cabinet Minister S. Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal, while addressing well-attended public outreach meetings in the border villages of Baladwal, Abadi Baba Gam Chukk Sahib, Abadi Harnam Singh and Wadda Fatehwal, which were severely affected by last year's floods, presented a report card highlighting the pro-people achievements of the Punjab Government led by Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann.
He also appealed to the people to once again elect the Mann Government in the upcoming Punjab Assembly elections, expected next year or possibly in November, to ensure continued prosperity and welfare for Punjab. Addressing the gatherings, Dhaliwal said that if the previous governments, which ruled Punjab and the country for decades, had honestly made permanent and effective flood protection arrangements instead of resorting to corrupt practices, farmers, labourers, traders and the common people would not have had to live in fear of floods every monsoon season.
He stated that before the onset of the monsoon, the Mann Government had issued strict directions to Deputy Commissioners and Drainage Department officials to ensure all necessary flood preparedness measures. In Ajnala, repair and strengthening of the Dhussi embankment at 23 locations damaged during last year's devastating floods in the Ravi River, construction of stone spurs, desilting and cleaning of rivers, drains and canals, strengthening of infrastructure, and deployment of advanced machinery capable of operating in waterlogged areas are all being undertaken.
The government is spending ₹600 crore on these comprehensive pre-monsoon flood protection measures across Punjab. Dhaliwal termed Punjab BJP President Keval Singh Dhillon's decision to send party leaders to flood-prone districts before the monsoon as a mere political gimmick.
He said that after last year's devastating floods, the Prime Minister, during his aerial survey in Gurdaspur, and nearly two dozen Union Ministers had promised substantial financial assistance for Punjab's flood victims. However, those promises remain unfulfilled, and therefore these proposed BJP visits would also prove to be nothing more than political theatre without any actual relief.
Dhaliwal further stated that Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, during his visit to the flood-affected areas of Ajnala last year, had himself remarked that the devastation was not merely a flood but a catastrophe of unprecedented magnitude. On that occasion, Dhaliwal had personally submitted a memorandum seeking compensation of nearly ₹2,000 crore for damage to infrastructure and crops in the Ajnala constituency.
Although the Union Minister had assured positive action both publicly and privately, that assurance has remained only a promise. He also recalled that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had conducted an aerial survey of the flood-affected areas of Punjab.
During a meeting in Gurdaspur, Punjab Government ministers and senior officials had presented an assessment showing losses worth approximately ₹13,000 crore. Despite this, the Prime Minister announced a relief package of only ₹1,600 crore, which Dhaliwal described as inadequate and unjust to the flood victims.
Moreover, he alleged that even after more than a year, not a single rupee from the announced ₹1,600 crore package has been released to the Punjab Government. Dhaliwal advised Punjab BJP President Keval Singh Dhillon that instead of indulging in political publicity in sensitive flood-prone areas, he should assign BJP leaders the responsibility of approaching the Central Government to secure the release of the previously announced ₹1,600 crore flood relief package, the withheld Punjab Rural Development Fund, and other pending financial allocations.
He also urged the BJP to ensure an end to what he described as the discriminatory treatment being meted out to Punjab by the Centre. Among those present on the occasion were Sarpanch Jagtar Singh, Sarpanch Jagir Singh, Sarpanch Raju Fatehwal, other representatives of Panchayati Raj institutions, and government officials.