Floods: BJP former MP Khanna blames AAP govt for crisis; party issues ‘chargesheet’

BJP National Vice President and former MP Avinash Rai Khanna blamed the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Punjab for the recent flood crisis, accusing it of severe mismanagement, corruption and failure in disaster preparedness.

Addressing a press conference at the Press Club, Jalandhar, Khanna said that the state government failed to identify and manage flood-prone areas in time, which aggravated the situation during the recent floods across the state.

The BJP also released a 16-page document titled ‘chargesheet’, presenting a point-wise condemnation of the AAP government’s handling of floods over the past 3.5 years. The press conference was held under the chairmanship of BJP District President Sushil Sharma and attended by party leaders Sheetal Angural, Ashok Sarin Hicky, Raman Pabbi and Sarabjit Makkar.

Khanna said that the Punjab State Disaster Management Plan and the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) guidelines clearly emphasise preparedness, prevention and damage mitigation for flood situations. However, the AAP government failed to act on these guidelines, leading to widespread damage in high-risk areas along rivers like the Ravi, Beas and Sutlej.

He alleged that while the state was reeling from floods, the AAP government remained focused on expanding its political presence instead of addressing the crisis on the ground.

Khanna further said that essential infrastructure such as rivers, drains and flood-control gates were not cleaned or strengthened in time, causing obstructions to water flow and worsening flood impact. He added that the government did not conduct mock drills or training exercises for SDRF teams, local administration, or village and town residents to prepare for emergencies.

Due to these failures, residents of 1,056 villages had to endure immense hardship. Khanna claimed that even though a committee to probe flood management may have been formed, its recommendations were never implemented.

Citing the 2023 floods as a turning point, Khanna said a proposal had been made to conduct a comprehensive survey of flood-prone areas. The cost of preparing a Digital Elevation Model (DEM) for the Sutlej River was estimated at Rs 8.92 crore, but the AAP government has not issued a tender for this project even after 15 months.

He warned that due to such inaction, Punjab continues to remain highly vulnerable to recurring flood disasters. Khanna also accused the state government of ignoring advance warnings from the Indian Meteorological Department about above-normal rainfall in April. He said that instead of planning better water control in dam reservoirs, the AAP government allowed rampant illegal sand mining, which worsened soil erosion and weakened riverbanks.

He alleged that pits as deep as 30 to 40 feet were dug in riverbeds under government patronage, allowing water seepage that weakened embankments and increased the risk of breaches and floods in surrounding areas.

He also pointed out that the Central Government had allocated Rs 240 crore for repair and maintenance of river embankments, but the Punjab government failed to utilise the funds effectively.

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BJP calls floods a ‘Mann-made disaster’

The Punjab unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has come down heavily on the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government over its handling of the recent floods in the state, terming the calamity a “Mann-made disaster.”

At a press conference held in Hoshiarpur, District BJP President Nipun Sharma and former State BJP President and ex-Union Minister Vijay Sampla issued a ‘chargesheet’ against the Bhagwant Mann-led government, accusing it of gross mismanagement during the 2025 floods. He questioned the lack of financial accountability, pointing out that the state is mandated to maintain a separate account for SDRF funds - a requirement he said was not fulfilled.

Highlighting structural vulnerabilities, Sampla criticised the poor upkeep of river embankments and blamed illegal mining for weakening the flood-control infrastructure, resulting in widespread damage.

Targeting Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and Finance Minister Harpal Cheema, Sampla accused them of being absent from their responsibilities during the crisis, alleging they were preoccupied with out-of-state tours while Punjab was submerged.