Chandigarh: BJP national general secretary Tarun Chugh on Sunday launched a sharp attack on the Bhagwant Mann-led Aam Aadmi Party government in Punjab, alleging that the floods devastating large parts of the state are not just a natural calamity but a result of what he described as a “Mann-made disaster.”
Chugh said that the Mann government had given open permission for illegal sand mining, which weakened river embankments and left villages vulnerable to flooding. “The reason Punjab is being led towards disaster is the free hand given for illegal mining. People of Punjab are paying the price for Bhagwant Mann’s incompetence, failure and inexperience,” he charged.
The BJP leader also hit out at the state government for politicising the relief measures. He claimed that without even carrying out a real assessment of the damage, the AAP government was making noise about compensation packages. According to him, the truth was that the central government had already earmarked more than Rs 11,000 crore for Punjab under disaster management funds.
“Prime Minister Narendra Modi has himself spoken to Bhagwant Mann. Home Minister Amit Shah has also assured every possible help. Yet the Punjab government has neither formed special teams nor undertaken a proper survey of losses,” Chugh said. He added that instead of ground-level action, the AAP government was busy shifting blame and engaging in theatrics.
Chugh’s remarks come amid rising anger in flood-affected areas where locals have alleged that illegal mining and poor upkeep of embankments worsened the damage. Opposition parties have accused the Mann government of being unprepared and slow in responding to the crisis.
The BJP leader maintained that while the Centre was extending help on priority, the state leadership had failed to act responsibly. “Punjab needs a government that is serious about the plight of its people. Unfortunately, what we are witnessing today is negligence and immaturity,” he said.
