By Panjab & Sikh Affairs Weekly Digest | Malaysia |
The Panjab government convened a 2-day special session of the state Legislative Assembly on 26 & 29 Sep to discuss flood relief and rehabilitation.
On day 1, the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) members reached the assembly with placards decrying the Indian union government. The posturing was optics because the union government was not even present in the assembly.
Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema hit out at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led union government, accusing it of adopting a ‘step-motherly’ attitude towards Panjab. He said, out of the US$181 million flood-relief package, not a single rupee has been disbursed to Panjab till now.
Water Resources Minister Barinder Kumar Goyal, who presented the resolution in the House, demanded a special package of USD 2.27B for flood-affected families, farmers, and infrastructure restoration across the State. Leader of Opposition (LoP), Indian National Congress party’s Partap Singh Bajwa, blamed the AAP government for indulging in blame game.
INC demanded removals of Goyal and Principal Secretary of Water Resources Department Krishan Kumar. On day 2, the assembly passed a Rehabilitation of Panjab resolution condemning the union government. The resolution was passed unanimously though BJP legislators were absent.
The BJP had enacted a side show—a parallel mock Vidhan Sabha (state assembly) session on the topic: Who is responsible for the current state of Panjab? Panjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann alleged the Prime Minister Narender Modi is not giving him time to make a representation. He also said the union government has ‘imposed an undeclared Emergency’ on Panjab.
However, on 30 Sep evening, he met Union Home Minister Amit Shah. The session seemed futile when the need is that an all-party delegation meets the PM and asks for support and funds.
Meanwhile, speaking at an event in Pathankot on 28 Sep, LoP Bajwa said Panjab stands at the core of India’s engagement with Eurasia. Rather than being seen as a border state, the government should reposition Panjab as India’s gateway to Eurasia connecting India with Central Asia and Europe.
(Adapted from Panjab & Sikh Affairs Weekly Digest, Volume 3, Issue 40, 30 September 2025)
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