When Punjab was devastated, Centre looked away; If this disaster had happened in any BJP-ruled State, thousands of crores would have been released overnight: Neel Garg

 Chandigarh(The Uttam Hindu): The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Tuesday launched a scathing attack on the BJP-led central government over its “criminal neglect” of Punjab’s flood victims, accusing the Centre of showing extreme bias and discrimination against the state. Addressing a press conference at the party headquarters in Chandigarh, AAP Punjab Senior Spokesperson Neel Garg said the BJP government has treated Punjab with shocking indifference despite massive destruction caused by the recent floods.

Garg revealed that over 5 lakh acres of crops, 2,305 villages, 8,500 km of roads, 3,200 schools, and thousands of livestock were destroyed, with the total loss estimated at nearly ₹20,000 crore. “The Chief Minister wrote to the Centre seeking a ₹20,000 crore relief package for Punjab, but it has been more than two and a half months, not a single rupee has been released. Is this how the Union treats a border state that feeds the nation?” Garg questioned.

He compared the Centre’s apathy toward Punjab with its generosity in other states, saying, “Where the tragedy struck, they sent no help; where elections are being held, they sent ₹10,000 directly into the accounts of Bihar’s women. When Punjab was drowning, the Centre remained silent. But when votes are at stake elsewhere, money rains down like floodwater.”

Neel Garg slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his token visit after weeks of silence. “When the Prime Minister finally came to Punjab, he did nothing more than a photo session and an aerial survey. He didn’t meet the victims, didn’t announce real relief, and then left. The same story repeats with central ministers who come one after another, Dr. Jatinder Singh, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Banwarilal Verma, Shobha Karandlaje, Savitri Thakur, Harsh Malhotra, Shripad Naik, all came empty handed , sprinkle salt on Punjab’s wounds, and left.”

Garg added that BJP leaders had initially claimed the ₹1,600 crore announced by the Centre was a token payment and more aid would follow, but later the Centre counted old grants as part of this amount. “They even included ₹805 crore given earlier and ₹170 crore for national highways, funds that Punjab was entitled to regardless of floods, in this ₹1,600 crore figure. It’s a cruel joke on flood victims,” Garg said.

He reminded that Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had demanded changes to SDRF norms, which currently provide only ₹6,800 per acre as compensation, an amount he said “cannot even begin to cover the losses.” “That’s why Punjab demanded a ₹20,000 crore package, to give farmers and victims some real relief,” Garg said.

The AAP leader accused the BJP government of using GST as a tool of political blackmail against opposition-ruled states. “Earlier, the Centre took only 2% CST. Now, under GST, it takes 9% and still withholds states’ rightful dues. The BJP has turned GST into a weapon to punish states where people didn’t elect them,” Garg alleged.

He further said Punjab is being pushed into financial crisis while the Centre continues to hold back ₹8,000 crore of RDF and ₹49,000 crore of GST dues. “If the Centre releases our rightful money, we will help every affected farmer and family ourselves. Punjab doesn’t need BJP’s sympathy photos; we need our own money back,” he said.

Questioning the silence of BJP’s Punjab leaders, Garg said, “Sunil Jakhar and Ravneet Bittu call themselves well-wishers of Punjab, then why are they quiet when their own government is denying Punjab its due? Will they stand with the people of Punjab or with the BJP that is stabbing Punjab in the back?”

Concluding his statement, Neel Garg said, “It feels as if the BJP government is taking revenge for the farmers’ protest. The maximum damage in these floods was to farmers, their fields, crops, homes, and cattle were washed away. The Centre’s refusal to help is not just negligence, it’s deliberate punishment. Punjab will not forget this betrayal.”