Chandigarh, September 9: Punjab Cabinet Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) state president Aman Arora on Tuesday lashed out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s announcement of a Rs 1,600 crore relief package for flood-hit Punjab, calling it “a cruel joke” and “an insult” to a state grappling with devastation pegged at over Rs 20,000 crore.
“The Prime Minister came, saw, and offered a pittance,” Arora said after Modi’s visit to the state. “While our farmers stand amidst the ruins of their lives—their homes, crops, and livestock washed away—the Centre’s response is not just inadequate, it is a blatant insult. Rs 1,600 crore is a slap in the face of every citizen who has lost everything.”
Arora stressed that the Bhagwant Mann-led Punjab government had repeatedly sought Rs 60,000 crore in pending dues from the Centre, along with Rs 20,000 crore in flood-specific relief. “This token amount makes a mockery of the destruction Punjab has endured,” he said, accusing the BJP-led central government of dismissing the magnitude of the tragedy.
The minister underlined the impact on agriculture, which he described as the “soul of Punjab.” Crops nurtured for months were destroyed just days before harvest, leaving farmers without income and with no chance to re-sow. “Our farmers have lost an entire season’s livelihood,” Arora said, noting that 4.80 lakh acres of farmland had been affected, with over 3.71 lakh acres of paddy completely submerged.
The floods, the worst since 1988, have claimed 52 lives and directly impacted nearly four lakh people across more than 2,000 villages. Arora said the scale of destruction demands “monumental efforts to rebuild” and urged the Centre to reassess the damage and release a relief package that reflects both the losses and Punjab’s longstanding contribution to the nation.
“From the freedom struggle to feeding the nation, Punjab has always been India’s sword and shield,” Arora noted. “Our farmers have ensured food security for decades, and our youth have guarded the borders. Yet, when our land is submerged and our people are suffering, the Government of India’s response is dismissive.”
Calling for an immediate course correction, Arora urged the Centre to act “with urgency and responsibility” in supporting Punjab during what he described as one of its darkest hours.
