Amarinder Singh’s laxity led to loss by flood: Harsimrat Kaur Badal

Harsimrat Kaur Badal said that laxity and negligence on part of the Capt Amarinder Singh-led government were behind losses the floods caused in Punjab.

Union food processing industries minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal on Friday said laxity and negligence on part of the Capt Amarinder Singh-led government were behind losses the floods caused in Punjab, especially in Rupnagar, Jalandhar and Kapurthala districts.

Harsimrat Kaur Badal alleged that the state government took no prior initiatives to deal with the flood situation. (HT Photo)

Harsimrat, who visited the flood-affected areas of Phillaur, Shahkot and Sultanpur Lodhi of Jalandhar and Kapurthala districts, alleged that the state government took no prior initiatives to deal with the emerging situation.

On a letter written by the CM to the Centre seeking funds for natural calamity, Harsimrat said, “Amarinder Singh goes to meet Union ministers only when he wants probes in cases against him slowed down or sort out visa-related issues of his friends. When people need him, neither he is found among them nor does he take up their issues with the central government. Writing a letter about such a tragic loss will not serve any purpose.”

She said it seemed the Punjab government was misleading the people by saying it had asked for a flood relief package from the Centre.

She also claimed that illegal mining was behind breaches in the river in Sultanpuri Lodhi. “Illegal mining is going on rampantly in the Congress rule. Even one of their ministers had to resign on the issue while an MLA also faced charges of the illegal mining,” she said.

“People told me the state government did not clean drains or undertake any flood protection work for the last two-and-half years and this largely contributed to flooding.”