Punjab FM Cheema slams Cong for doing 'politics' over floods

Chandigarh, Sep 27 (PTI) Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema on Saturday launched a scathing attack on the Congress, accusing it of "shamelessly playing politics" over the recent floods in the state.

Cheema said the devastating floods, caused by excessive rainfall and overflowing waters from Himachal Pradesh and Jammu, claimed nearly 60 lives and wreaked havoc across Punjab.

"At a time when the Punjab government, under Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, is working day and night to rehabilitate affected families, the Congress is stooping to new lows by obstructing relief funds and politicising the deaths of innocent people," he said.

Slamming the Congress for its behaviour in the special state assembly session convened by the AAP government to discuss flood rehabilitation, Cheema said, "Instead of standing with the people of Punjab, the Congress leaders chose to indulge in cheap photo-ops." "In the Assembly, they left no stone unturned to politicise the deaths of flood victims for their selfish interests. Their anti-Punjab mindset stood fully exposed yesterday," he said.

The two-day special session of the Punjab Assembly began on Friday.

The minister said while the AAP government has created a dedicated "Rangla Punjab" fund for rebuilding the state, with massive contributions coming in from people across all sections, Congress leaders "shamefully" opposed this fund for flood relief.

"The same Congress that ruined Punjab's economy for decades is now trying to block every effort to rebuild it. This shows their true mentality towards Punjab and Punjabis," he alleged.

Cheema also hit out at the BJP, reminding people how it has always "discriminated" against Punjab.

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi came late, announced a 'jumla' of Rs 1,600 crore package, but not a single rupee of it has reached Punjab. Only Rs 240 crore, that too from an already budgeted provision, has been released. BJP's hatred for Punjab is clear, and now the Congress party has joined hands with them in this betrayal," he claimed.

Highlighting the achievements of the AAP government in the last three years, Cheema said, "We have provided over 60,000 government jobs, ensured 300 units of free power for households and, increased state revenue." He said the Bhagwant Mann government has put every single rupee of people's money to honest use, unlike previous governments that emptied the state treasury. PTI CHS OZ OZ