Harpal Singh Cheema Slams Congress Leaders for Trying to Block Relief Funds and Supporting BJP's Anti-Punjab Agenda
It is Not the Time For Politics, It is Time to Stand with Punjab, But Congress Showed It's Real Face Once Again: Harpal Cheema
Instead of Siding With Punjab on the Matter of Flood Relief Funds, Congress Leaders are Speaking the Language of BJP: Cheema
Chandigarh (The Uttam Hindu): Punjab Finance Minister and senior Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Harpal Singh Cheema on Saturday launched a scathing attack on the Congress party, accusing it of shamelessly playing politics over the tragic floods in Punjab while siding with the BJP to block much-needed relief for the people of the state.
Punjab Finance Minister and senior Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Harpal Singh Cheema on Saturday launched a scathing attack on the Congress party, accusing it of shamelessly playing politics over the tragic floods in Punjab while siding with the BJP to block much-needed relief for the people of the state.
Slamming the Congress for its behavior in the special Punjab 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, staging drama with specially prepared vehicles to avoid getting their feet dirty. In the Assembly, they left no stone unturned to politicize the deaths of flood victims for their selfish interests. Their anti-Punjab mindset stood fully exposed yesterday.”
The Minister revealed that 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 said.
Cheema also hit out at the BJP, reminding people how the saffron party has always discriminated against Punjab. “Prime Minister Narendra Modi came late, announced a 'jumla' of ₹1,600 crore package, but not a single rupee of it has reached Punjab. Only ₹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 said.
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, taken control of private thermal plants to benefit Punjabis, increased state revenue, and put every single rupee of people’s money to honest use. Unlike previous governments that emptied the state treasury, we are filling it and spending it on the people.”
Cheema reminded that it was during the SAD-BJP rule that Punjab was flooded with drugs, destroying the youth, while Congress leaders like Rahul Gandhi maligned Punjabis by calling 70% of them drug addicts. “First the Akalis and BJP pushed Punjab towards destruction, then the Congress continued their legacy by expanding the drug trade and looting Punjab’s resources,” he said.
Demanding justice for Punjab, the Finance Minister reiterated AAP’s call for ₹20,000 crore relief from the Centre and questioned why Congress leaders repeatedly side with the BJP whenever Punjab demands its rights. “Whenever we protest against the Modi government’s anti-Punjab policies, the Congress suddenly starts speaking BJP’s language. It is now clear that both Congress and BJP, along with the Akalis, have the same anti-Punjab mindset,” he said.
Cheema concluded by assuring Punjabis that the AAP government, led by CM Bhagwant Mann, will ensure every single rupee collected for flood relief is honestly spent on rebuilding homes and restoring lives. “This is not the time for politics; this is the time to stand with Punjab. But Congress has shown its true colours by siding with the BJP and opposing relief for the people,” he said. GIVE SEO TAGS AND KEYWORDS