PM Modi will never desert Punjab: Sunil Jakhar

Punjab BJP president Sunil Jakhar on Wednesday asserted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi would “never desert” the flood-ravaged state.

In an interview to The Tribune on Wednesday, a day after the PM announced a relief of Rs 1,600 crore, Jakhar said it was announced as per the “demand on paper made by the state government”.

In a no-holds-barred attack against Punjab’s ruling AAP, he termed as “bogus” its claims that the Centre was yet to provide the state Rs 60,000 crore in GST dues.

“The BJP does not seek votes in the name of flood relief. The PM will always handhold Punjab. However, the Centre wants the state to be held accountable for the funds it receives now as well as those received in the past,” he said.

Jakhar said the state Chief Secretary had given a break-up of the damages of ₹13,289 crore before the Prime Minister in the meeting on Tuesday.

“However, Punjab Minister Hardeep Singh Mundian, in the same meeting, pegged the figure at ₹20,000 crore. This arbitrary presentation of figures reflects the AAP government’s irresponsible approach,” he added.

Challenging Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s claim that the Centre owed Punjab ₹60,000 crore, Jakhar said the figure “cropped up from nowhere” and the Punjab Government should make public the evidence for this claim.

On the rejection of the PM’s flood relief by AAP, Congress and Shiromani Akali Dal, Jakhar said the amount was not peanuts.

“It covers the damages brought up but the PM, the Centre and the BJP will not desert people. I will pursue all cases of compensation for flood victims and see how much the state government pays to the victims. The Centre will hold the state government responsible for any misuse of funds,” he added.

Jakhar also said the PM’s relief package was an “initial package”, with “more aid promised” upon receiving further proposals.

“The Centre will work on it on the basis of reports submitted by the central teams that surveyed Punjab,” he said.

Jakhar reiterated,“Farmers deserve all possible relief, but had the state implemented the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana and paid the farmers’ ₹32 crore premium share, each flood-affected farmer could have received Rs 42,000 per acre.”

He said additional support had been announced for schools, national highways and damaged houses under various schemes.

“The next instalment of the Pradhan Mantri Samman Nidhi Yojana and the second SDRF tranche will also be released in advance,” he said, adding that the state could undertake rural development under MGNREGA, if it had the will and intention.