Photo Source: Babushahi Bureau
Sanjay Singh, Aman Arora, Harbhajan Singh visit flood-hit Dera Baba Nanak, urge Centre for relief package
Babushahi Bureau
Gurdaspur (Punjab), September 5, 2025 – Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh, Punjab Cabinet Minister Aman Arora, and Cabinet Minister Harbhajan Singh E.T.O. on Friday visited the flood-affected areas of Dera Baba Nanak to assess the situation and extend support to affected residents.
They were joined by Dera Baba Nanak MLA Gurdeep Singh Randhawa, Amritsar South MLA Dr. Inderbir Singh Nijjar, Deputy Commissioner Dalwinderjeet Singh, SSP Batala Sohel Qasim Mir, and other local leaders.
The leaders first flagged off trolleys loaded with relief material for flood victims at Shahpur Jajan Patti Rampur village before inspecting flood-hit areas and the Sri Kartarpur Sahib Corridor.
Addressing the media, Sanjay Singh criticized the central government, alleging indifference toward Punjab’s crisis. “It is unfortunate that while the Modi government is sending aid to Taliban-ruled Afghanistan, it has failed to announce any special relief package for its own citizens in flood-hit Punjab,” he said. Singh added that Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Chouhan recently visited Punjab but offered “no concrete relief.”
Aman Arora, AAP’s Punjab President and Cabinet Minister, reiterated that the state government was working at full capacity to support its people. “The Punjab government stands firmly with every citizen in this crisis. All ministers, MLAs, and AAP volunteers are on the ground, ensuring relief and rescue work continues round the clock,” he said.
Arora accused the Centre of “stepmotherly treatment” toward Punjab, highlighting that the state has suffered a ₹50,000 crore loss since GST’s implementation and that ₹8,000 crore under RDF and MDF remains withheld. He also pointed out the recent cancellation of ₹828 crore under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana. “This money belongs to the people of Punjab. The Centre must release these funds immediately and announce a special package to restore Punjab’s economy and support flood victims,” he stressed.
Social organizations and local volunteers have also been actively contributing to relief work, for which the Punjab government expressed gratitude.
Officials present included SDM Dera Baba Nanak Dr. Aditya Sharma, SDM Fatehgarh Churian Gurminder Singh, Chairman Balwinder Singh Haruwal, Jaswant Singh Numberdar, Pradeep Singh, and Gurdev Singh Shahpur.