Pargat Singh slams BJP and AAP for making flood relief a political prop, calling it an insult to Punjab’s flood victims.
Punjab Newsline, Jalandhar-
Padma Shri Pargat Singh, Secretary of the All India Congress Committee and MLA, stated today that the Punjab government has completely lost public trust over the flood crisis. “People no longer believe in the government. That’s why the Centre announced it will transfer Rs 1,600 crore flood relief directly to farmers’ accounts,” Singh said.
He condemned the Union Minister’s remarks suggesting Punjab’s government need not worry about relief management, calling such statements misleading and divisive. “This crisis concerns not just the AAP government, but the dignity of all Punjab. When institutions lose trust, democracy itself weakens,” he added.
Singh questioned the Centre’s move to bypass the state government for flood relief: “How can the Union government ignore the reality that losses aren’t limited to farmers—ordinary people have suffered too? Who will compensate their losses?”
He made it clear: “Flood relief is not a favour, it’s a right. Families who lost homes, land, and livelihoods need justice, not politics. Turning relief into a political bargaining chip is an insult to the victims.”
Taking direct aim at CM Bhagwant Mann, Singh asked: “Has Punjab’s reputation fallen so low under your rule that Delhi feels compelled to sidestep the state to send relief? Does bypassing the elected government strengthen democracy or undermine it?”
Singh demanded both BJP and the AAP government end the blame game and guarantee the instant release of relief to those affected. “The duty of government is not charity—it is basic accountability. Punjab’s official reports show losses of over ₹13,289 crore, with more than 2,000 villages submerged, 3.5 lakh acres of farmland destroyed, and dozens of lives lost. The victims need help now, not later,” he asserted.
On today’s baton charge against teachers protesting outside CM Mann’s Sangrur residence, Singh delivered a stinging rebuke: “Is the baton charge the Chief Minister’s tribute on Bhagat Singh’s birth anniversary? Fulfil your promises to teachers, so they need not protest for jobs in the streets.”