'Man-made disaster': Punjab Cong chief blames AAP govt for floods

Jalandhar, Aug 28 (PTI) Punjab Congress president Amrinder Singh Raja Warring Thursday called the floods in the state a "man-made disaster" and alleged that the AAP government failed to take timely action to take out water from dams.

He slammed the government for its "failure" to take preventive and precautionary measures against floods which have submerged large parts of the state and caused humongous losses to crops and properties.

On talk of infighting in the state Congress, Warring claimed that there was no infighting in the party and the entire state leadership including Charanjit Singh Channi, Partap Singh Bajwa, and Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa were unanimous in their resolve to ensure that the party wins 2027 elections.

He said the selection of a leader for the CM post is the discretion of the high command and the state leadership has unanimously left the decision to the high command.

Warring also blamed the central government for its "indifference" towards the flood situation by not taking timely precautions like releasing extra water from the dams to keep a provision for rainwaters.

He said since the floodgates of the Bhakra dam was opened, it posed grave danger to large parts of Punjab.

The Ludhiana MP was here to preside over the 'Save Constitution' meeting, said a party statement.

Warring said he wanted to reschedule the programme in view of the floods. But the local leaders insisted on holding it since it had been postponed several times in the past also, he added.

He said that all the MPs and MLAs of the Congress in Punjab will donate one month's salary for the flood relief.

He alleged that the Punjab government miserably failed in providing relief to people after having failed in taking preventive and precautionary measures on time.

Later, talking to reporters, Warring denied that there was any factionalism in the state unit.

He referred to a recent meeting of the senior party leaders in New Delhi, which, he said, had disturbed and unnerved the Akalis, the Aam Aadmi Party and the BJP, as they know the united Congress is always invincible.

Prominent Congress leaders attended the meeting including Channi, Pargat Singh, and MLAs Bawa Henry and Hardev Ladi.

Meanwhile, Partap Bajwa, who was in Gurdaspur, launched a scathing attack on Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and the AAP government for their alleged failure to provide relief and announce compensation for thousands of families devastated by the floods across Punjab.

Bajwa undertook a ground visit of flood-affected areas in his constituency Qadian and later toured the worst-hit regions of Gurdaspur and Dinanagar.

He was joined by MP Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, and MLAs Aruna Chaudhary and Barindermeet Singh Pahra.

Bajwa said, "The farmers of Punjab are staring at complete devastation. Fields remain submerged, homes are destroyed, and no concrete relief has reached the people." "Mann sahib came here yesterday for nothing more than a photo-op. The reality is that his government is missing from the ground," he alleged.

Bajwa reminded people that the AAP government had boasted of spending Rs 230 crore on flood-prevention measures, yet villages are still inundated.

"If even after such tall claims, families are left hungry and homeless, then Mann ji must answer where that money went. Relief announcements in press conferences mean nothing unless they translate into real aid on the ground," he added.

He also attacked the chief minister for his claim of leaving behind the state helicopter in Gurdaspur as a "relief gesture".

"The helicopter belongs to the people of Punjab, not Bhagwant Mann. It cannot rebuild homes or feed families. What Punjabis expect from their CM is financial compensation, rehabilitation, and medical support, ”not mere optics," Bajwa said.

Thousands of acres of standing crops have been destroyed, homes washed away, and families left without shelter, food, or basic aid, he said. PTI CHS KVK KVK