AAP-BJP spar over financial aid for Punjab flood victims

The ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) engaged in a heated political exchange on Saturday over financial assistance for the ongoing floods in Punjab.

Punjab BJP president accused the AAP government of not utilising the State Disaster Relief Fund, demanding Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann to apologise to the people of Punjab, even as Mr. Mann said “the anti-Punjab face of BJP has been exposed as they did not help the State during tough time and that’s why they are now trying to divert attention with irrelevant talk.”

Also read | After the disaster: Punjab flood victims face displacement and livelihood loss

Hitting out at the AAP government, the BJP president pointing to the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) report, 2023, said “it clearly states that as of March 31, 2023, Punjab had Rs. 9,041.74 crore in SDRF funds, and according to the report, the State government violated central government rules by not investing these funds appropriately. Even after this, funds for the years 23–24, 24–25, and 25–26 have been received, which together amount to a total of Rs. 12,000 crore.”

Mr. Jakhar added that the funds from the SDRF are lying unused with AAP government. “It would be better if you (Chief Minister) apologised to the people of Punjab for misleading them and ensured the proper utilisation of these funds to provide relief to the public,” he said in his post on ‘X’.

Hitting back, Mr. Mann said that the anti-Punjab face of BJP has been exposed as they did not help the State during tough time and that’s why they are now trying to divert attention with irrelevant talk.

The Chief Minister said that people of Punjab are asking them to clearly when and how much money the central government has given to State. He said that the answer to this question will clear everything but the BJP leaders are avoiding it because it will exposed their real face.

Mr. Mann said that the SDRF was established in the year 2010, and since then, a total of ₹5,012 crore has been received in this fund. Out of this, he said that ₹3,820 crore has been spent over the years on relief efforts during natural disasters. The picture is crystal clear but the BJP is exaggerating the issue just to mislead the people in this hour of crisis, he added.

The Chief Minister said that instead of raising such irrelevant issues, all should join hands to help the people of Punjab.