Khaira blames AAP for ‘man-made’ flood disaster, demands judicial inquiry

Sukhpal Singh Khaira, MLA from Bholath, has strongly condemned the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, accusing it of gross negligence and mismanagement in the wake of devastating floods across Punjab. Khaira described the tragedy not as a natural calamity but as a “man-made disaster” caused by the government’s incompetence.

Khaira outlined a series of failures that he believes led to the flooding. He pointed out that water levels at the Ranjit Sagar Dam had exceeded 523 meters on August 22-23, yet no preventive measures were taken. When inflows peaked at 2.36 lakh cusecs on August 24, the government released only 500 cusecs, allowing water to accumulate dangerously. By August 25, delays in the controlled release led to breaches that submerged vast areas of Punjab, leaving farmers and rural communities devastated.

The MLA criticised the Mann government for ignoring repeated warnings, claiming that timely action could have prevented the loss of homes, crops and livelihoods. “This is not nature’s fury; it is the result of the callous attitude and criminal negligence of the AAP government,” Khaira said.

He also criticised the government’s lack of preparedness and slow relief operations, stating that disaster management teams were deployed too late and affected villages had been left without adequate food, shelter, or medical assistance. Khaira further emphasised that the losses to farmers are “irreparable,” with crops like paddy and maize submerged across thousands of acres.

Khaira called for an independent judicial inquiry into what he termed the “colossal failure of governance” and demanded immediate and fair compensation for affected families. He also appealed to the Union Government to intervene, stating that the people of Punjab should not suffer due to the “arrogance and incompetence” of the state government.

Reaffirming his support for flood-hit families, Khaira pledged to continue raising the issue and demanded accountability. “The floods may recede, but the questions of accountability and responsibility will remain until those guilty of this man-made disaster are held answerable,” he concluded.