Chandigarh, October 29
Punjab Bharatiya Janata party Vice President Dr. Subhash Sharma has strongly criticized Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s government, accusing it of failing to deliver on its promises to flood-affected people and farmers. He said the Aam Aadmi Party government merely misled the public by announcing that compensation would be disbursed within 45 days but did nothing at the ground level.
Dr. Sharma pointed out that on September 12, during a high-level meeting at his official residence, Chief Minister Mann had announced that the flood-affected farmers of the state would receive compensation of Rs 20,000 per acre within 45 days. However, even after more than 45 days have passed, most affected families are still deprived of government aid.
Dr. Sharma added that while the Mann government has repeatedly claimed that special crop assessments (girdawari) have been completed and relief funds would be issued immediately, the reality is that not a single rupee has reached the accounts of most farmers and victims. In the worst-affected districts—Gurdaspur, Hoshiarpur, Tarn Taran, Ferozepur, and Amritsar—people are still waiting for government assistance.
Dr. Sharma remarked that Bhagwant Mann makes grand promises and announcements before cameras during election campaigns, but once the publicity ends, he forgets his commitments. “If the government had acted sincerely towards the flood victims, people wouldn’t be forced to protest on the streets today,” he said.
Dr. Sharma emphasized that the farmers devastated by the floods urgently need financial aid for fertilizers, seeds, house repairs, and removal of sand deposits. Many houses remain dilapidated, and people are living without roofs, while the Mann government is focused only on showmanship.
Dr. Sharma also alleged that Rs 12,000 crore provided by the Central Government is lying with the Punjab government, but the Mann administration has shown gross negligence in transferring the funds to the people. “This clearly shows that the AAP government is more concerned about its image than the welfare of the public,” he said.
The BJP has demanded that the Punjab government immediately complete the crop loss assessment in all flood-affected areas and deposit compensation directly into the accounts of farmers and affected families without delay.
Dr. Sharma warned that if the government continues to evade responsibility, the BJP, along with the public, will launch a state-wide agitation. “Punjab’s farmers have always stood by the state in difficult times. Now, when they are in crisis, it is the government’s duty to deliver justice to them. But the Mann government has repeatedly betrayed the people’s trust—and it will have to face the consequences,” he said.
