Union Minister Krishan Pal Gurjar Slams Punjab Government, Assures Full Relief to Flood-Affected Villages

Union Minister Krishan Pal Gurjar Slams Punjab Government, Assures Full Relief to Flood-Affected Villages

Bahadurjeet Singh/ royalpatiala.in News/ September 18 ,2025

Union Minister of State for Cooperation, Krishan Pal Gurjar, addressed a press conference today at the Canal Rest House in Ropar, sharply criticizing the Punjab government for its alleged negligence and mismanagement.

Accompanied by senior BJP leaders including Iqbal Singh Lalpura (Member, BJP Parliamentary Board), Subhash Sharma, Raman Jindal, Jagdish Chander Kajla, and Himmat Singh Girn, the Minister highlighted his visit earlier in the day to five flood-affected villages of Ropar district, including Majri Ghaad, Madhopur, and Khad Bathlor.

During his field visits, villagers pointed out illegal mining as their most pressing concern, blaming it for weakening embankments and damaging bridges, thereby aggravating flood devastation. Gurjar expressed serious concern over the condition of critical infrastructure such as the Ailgran and Agampur bridges, both reported to be severely damaged due to unchecked illegal mining.

Reassuring the people of Punjab, Gurjar said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the central government are fully committed to relief and rehabilitation efforts. “The central government has already released ₹1,600 crore as immediate relief. This is only the first step. After detailed reports from all Union Ministers visiting Punjab, further compensation and relief packages will be announced based on the actual damage assessment,” he stated.

The Minister, however, noted with dismay that villagers openly admitted they had no faith in the Punjab government to provide assistance. He termed this a “shameful state of affairs” for the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).

He accused the Punjab government of misusing funds provided annually for canal and drain cleaning and disaster preparedness. “Today, the roads of Ropar are in the worst condition, broken at several places, causing immense hardship to ordinary citizens,” he remarked.

Attacking AAP further, Gurjar alleged that its MLAs are “busy enjoying the privileges of power” while ignoring the real problems of the people. He went on to target Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, calling their recent visits to Punjab “mere photo opportunities” without any concrete follow-up action.

“The people of Punjab have seen the worst conditions under this government,” he said, adding that the BJP and Prime Minister Modi’s commitment remains rooted in service and development. Gurjar concluded by assuring that he would personally submit a detailed report to the Prime Minister, including complaints about illegal mining, and push for swift, concrete measures to support flood-affected families.