Chandigarh: In a dramatic display during the special session of the Punjab Assembly, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLAs and a majority of ministers staged a protest against the Centre, demanding urgent financial assistance for the flood-hit state. Lawmakers carried placards and raised slogans targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi, criticizing the token relief of Rs 1,600 crore announced for the devastated region. One of the placards read, “Modi Ji Da 1,600 crore da jumla,” highlighting the perceived inadequacy of the relief.
The protests led to the adjournment of the House for 20 minutes as the ruling party continued to raise slogans and eventually staged a walkout.
Earlier in the session, the Punjab Government tabled a resolution condemning the lack of adequate response from the BJP-led Central Government. The resolution criticized the Centre for failing to sanction a special financial package despite repeated requests from the Punjab Chief Minister. It also expressed disappointment at the Prime Minister’s Office for not granting a formal meeting to understand the full extent of the disaster, insisting that a comprehensive relief package of Rs 20,000 crore was urgently needed to address the crisis.
The resolution, moved by Water Resources Minister Barinder Goyal during a discussion on the “Rehabilitation of Punjab,” painted a grim picture of the flood’s impact. According to the resolution, the state has been hit by one of the most catastrophic floods in its history—described as the worst since the devastating 1988 floods, which affected over 34 lakh people.
“The current floods have exceeded previous major disasters in independent India, including those in 1955 and 1978, in terms of scale and destruction,” the resolution stated. “Over 20 lakh people have been affected, nearly five lakh acres of crops have been destroyed, livestock losses are significant, and both private and public infrastructure have suffered irreparable damage.”
The resolution emphasized that after conducting a detailed assessment of the situation, the Chief Minister formally requested a substantial financial relief package of Rs 20,000 crore from the Centre to help the state cope with the unprecedented crisis. It also highlighted the state government’s frustration that even the partial relief of Rs 1,600 crore has not yet been transferred to the State Treasury.
Further criticism was directed at the Prime Minister’s Office, which reportedly limited interactions to select officials, preventing the Punjab Chief Minister from making a proper and comprehensive representation of the state’s dire situation.
The Punjab Assembly session thus highlighted the growing tension between the state and the Centre over disaster relief, with AAP lawmakers demanding immediate action and adequate financial support to aid recovery in flood-ravaged regions.
