New Delhi, 08 January (H.S.): BJP National General Secretary Tarun Chugh accused the Punjab government of misleading the assembly on Thursday, alleging the Kejriwal-Mann administration convened a special session not to aid flood victims but to disseminate false information against the central government, squandering taxpayers' hard-earned money.

Speaking to media, Chugh highlighted the Bhagwant Mann government's inflated claims of a ₹20,000 crore relief package, now revised downward to just ₹11,855 crore in its own final damage assessment. This exposes another resounding defeat for the Kejriwal-Mann duo's attempts to fabricate lies against the Modi government.

Chugh charged that the special session served to spread confusion, rumors, and misinformation targeting the Centre, rather than assisting flood-affected people. He described the deluge not merely as a natural disaster but a man-made catastrophe stemming from the Mann government's gross negligence: the first preparedness meeting convened on June 5, 2025—merely 17 days before monsoon arrival.

The 2,800-km dhussi embankment and statewide drains remained uncleaned; 24 of 28 gates at Madhopur Headworks lay dysfunctional, while Harike Headworks silt clearance had been ignored for years, causing widespread embankment breaches and submerging hundreds of villages.

Illegal mining eroded riverbanks, and sudden, belated massive water releases from Ranjit Sagar Dam exacerbated the crisis. Only 15 motorboats served three districts, underscoring total collapse of disaster management.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann ribbon-cut in Tamil Nadu, as ministers abandoned relief for camera ops. Congress leaders, especially Rahul Gandhi, politicized Punjab's suffering into theatrics.

Chugh asserted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi monitored the crisis from day one, dispatching central ministers and announcing ₹1,615 crore immediate aid after visiting affected areas, alongside ₹240.80 crore as the second State Disaster Response Fund installment—yet the Mann regime resorted to falsehoods and accusations.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar