Punjab Assembly Special Session LIVE UPDATES: Ruling party MLAs protest against Centre; Speaker adjourns House for 20 minutes
CM Bhagwant Mann said the Chief Minister of Haryana had come to meet him at the hospital. He asked how he could help. I said, “Take some water.” But he replied that he could not take water. On August 29, Haryana had sent a letter refusing to accept water.
CM Mann said this time, Ranjit Sagar Dam, Pong Dam, and Bhakra Dam received much more water compared to 1988, something unprecedented. He added that the Ghaggar was desilted this time, which prevented it from breaching. “We have data on the cleaning of drains. Bhakra and Pong dams have not been desilted for 60 years,” he claimed.
CM Mann said the meteorological department’s prediction was completely inaccurate. He questioned whether such an agency even deserved to exist. “The Prime Minister must have his classmates posted there. It would have been better if we had just checked the weather on Google. Their officials are only taking salaries,” he added.
CM Bhagwant Mann said those who are born with a silver spoon in their mouth have no idea about hardships. “Their general secretary (Rahul Gandhi) arrived, and they were given Z-plus security. The flow of the Ravi River was very strong. If anything had happened, they would have claimed that Rahul Gandhi was sent to Pakistan,” he added.
CM Bhagwant Mann said speaking a lot does not always make an impact; sometimes, even a few words can leave a lasting impression.
He added that the first phase of dealing with the floods has been successfully managed. “Our Punjabis reach out wherever there is a calamity,” he said, expressing gratitude to all organisations and young volunteers.
He praised those who waded through chest-deep waters to save lives, noting that the floodwaters this time were unprecedented. He also criticised some people who, instead of helping during the disaster, are abusing him while trying to find opportunities in the calamity.
CM Bhagwant Mann began his address
Jalalabad AAP MLA Jagdeep Lamboj Goldy said 49 villages in his constituency were affected by the floods. He stressed the need for two new bridges and urged that work in this direction should begin promptly. He also called for the quick release of compensation amounts.
Fazilka AAP MLA Narinder Pal Singh Sawna said around 60,000 persons in his constituency were affected by the floods, and 31,000 acres of crops were damaged. “Even today, water remains standing in the fields, making recovery difficult. Twenty villages in my area were completely cut off from other regions. Sand has also entered farms across barbed wire near the border, and the Centre should be approached regarding this,” he said.
He added that orders had been issued for the construction of new dams and roads. Sawna also alleged that the farmers summoned from his constituency to meet the Prime Minister were not actual farmers but BJP leaders. He took a dig at Union Minister Ravneet Singh Bittu and accused MPs Sher Singh Ghubaya and Raja Warring of mocking the local people, which was visible in photographs from a photo session.
He further questioned the handling of the Madhopur Dam, asking which government was responsible for its management and who should be held accountable.
AAP MLA Amandeep Kaur Brar said that the government had done commendable work for flood-affected people. She emphasised that the Centre should fulfill its obligations and provide what was due. A total of 2,565 villages were affected, and the Rs 1,600 crore announced by the Centre is insufficient, as not even one crore would reach a single village. She added that the demands of farmers should also be addressed. She also expressed her gratitude to all those who worked during the floods.
Congress MLA Pargat Singh said the Central Government was taking control of dams under the pretext of the Dam Safety Act, which he called inappropriate. He added that proposals raised against the Centre often do not reach them, and it is unclear why. He also stated that proposals should be raised against the forecasts made by the Meteorological Department, as they are often inaccurate. He cited similar issues that occurred in the southern region, where weather predictions showed significant discrepancies. Additionally, he highlighted concerns about the use of AI-generated data.
After the session was adjourned, Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema and AAP legislators alleged outside the House that the Congress in the Assembly was acting as an agent of the Prime Minister, carrying out the BJP’s agenda. Both BJP MLAs were absent from the session.
Cheema stated that when he exposed all MLAs with the “BJP’s raw notes” and highlighted that the Prime Minister’s Rs 1,600 crore claim turned out to be a jumla, as not a single rupee had been sent even 20 days after the PM’s visit.
Before the proceedings were adjourned, members of the ruling party raised slogans against the Central Government in front of the Speaker. The members held placards that read “Modi Ji’s Rs 1,600 crore jumla.” Amid the sloganeering, the Speaker adjourned the House proceedings for 20 minutes. While the opposition members remained seated, the ruling party members continued their protest.
Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema presented an account of the Rs 12,000 crore relief funds in the Assembly. He said out of the Rs 1,600 crore announced by the Centre for relief funds, not a single rupee has reached the Punjab Government’s treasury.
Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema said Punjab suffered extensive damage from floods in every sector. It began in Kapurthala, and officials immediately started relief operations. The floods were triggered by heavy rainfall in Himachal Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir. He said some people raised questions about water being released from dams. However, Cheema countered by asking, “Then where did the 15-foot-high sand deposits come from?”
He further stated that a campaign titled “Jiski Khet, Uski Ret” has been launched. He clarified that the real cause of the floods was the heavy rainfall in the hills.
Assembly proceedings adjourned until 3 pm.
Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains said the situation Punjab was facing is no secret. He questioned whether political groups had made a mockery of these circumstances. He said Punjab, which once led the country’s freedom struggle, was now in dire straits
MLA Sherry Kalsi also accused opposition leaders of acting as BJP agents when Punjab needs them most. He raised issues of crop damage in areas such as Kalanaur before the CM, who assured help. Kalsi highlighted the government’s “Jiska Khet Uski Ret” campaign.
Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal said at least 30 villages had their fields buried under 30 feet of sand. He criticised opposition parties for blaming the govt while doing nothing themselves. "Farmers’ lands have turned into deserts, and floods have further destroyed homes and crops, yet politicians continue vote-centric politics," he said.
He questioned how sand can be removed near BSF-guarded areas, noting locals are retrieving their tractors from the river themselves. People from Sultanpur Lodhi, Ferozepur, and Patti are watching the Assembly’s response.
Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal, MLA from Ajnala and former minister, said 15 days after the floods, Partap Singh Bajwa visited Sultanpur Lodhi.
Chaos continues in the Punjab Assembly: Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema said the Congress was working as an agent of the BJP. They (Congress) are saying that funds for the floods should not be given. Using this pretext, they are playing politics over the bodies of people, he alleged.
Cheema further asked, “Who purchased cheap land along the rivers? Partap Singh Bajwa, you know everything. Why do you get scared when a notice is issued?”
Irrigation Minister Barinder Goyal alleged that the CLP leader lied in the House. “He claimed that 9,000 cusecs of water were released from the Ranjit Sagar Dam, which is completely false,” he added.
Rana Gurjeet Singh had earlier said that planning should be done based on weather forecasts. “We have a complete record of how much water was released from the dams and when. Cheap lands were purchased from farmers, and some were taken into the river. We have records of everything,” Goyal said.
He added that desilting cannot be done in the Ravi river. “When we raised this issue, their people approached the High Court. There is a century of silt in the Beas, and work cannot be done there. Plans have been made for the Sutlej River. I cannot tolerate the CLP’s interference in these matters. It is shameful that the CLP is saying no help should be given to flood victims. They are acting as a B-team for the BJP.”
Partap Bajwa’s demanded that a sitting High Court judge should conduct the investigation. The Irrigation Minister should resign, and Krishan Kumar, Principal Secretary (Irrigation), should be suspended.
"Mr Goyal should resign, and Krishna Kumar should be suspended," says Bajwa.
Opposition leader Partap Singh Bajwa said, “The Chief Minister had promised that farmers would receive Rs 20,000 compensation without any verification, and Rs 30,000 later. But nothing has been given so far. The CM also claimed that money for goats and poultry would be provided, yet nothing has happened.
He added they needed to be told when the government would disburse the compensation. "You have Rs 12,000 crore, and we need to know where that money is. We fear that the funds might be misused or shuffled around," he said.
He flayed the government, saying, ‘They promised a prosperous Punjab but have turned it destitute.’ Bajwa also appealed to NRIs not to deposit money into the account created by the Chief Minister for the relief fund, but to directly provide funds to the people instead.
Minister Barinder Goyal and Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema opposed statements made by Bajwa, leading to chaos in the House. Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema said "the Congress is not serious about the flood issue".
Bajwa said, “You demand responsibility for the Bhakra and Pong dams, yet the Ranjit Sagar Dam could not be managed properly. Three officials have been suspended, but it should have been Barinder Kumar Goyal and Krishna Kumar. Because of them, the Madhopur gates collapsed, and the entire area was submerged. The flood gates were damaged. On the day the Prime Minister visited, the Chief Minister was admitted to the hospital.”
Bajwa said, “The forecasts of the Meteorological Department proved wrong. Meetings regarding the floods are usually held from January, but the Chief Minister held the meeting only in June. You kept fighting with the BBMB, claimed to be the guardian of water, and said that central forces would not be allowed. Yet, the forces eventually arrived.”
Opposition leader Partap Singh Bajwa said, “Mr Goyal, your MLA Pathanamajra has already stated that you are responsible. If Punjab is to be saved, Krishna Kumar should be removed. The responsibilities of Krishna Kumar and Goyal were the most crucial. Were they asleep on the job? I have visited many areas. They claimed that 8,000 drains were cleared, but nothing was done. The funds were swallowed by their department. Your government is responsible for this.”
Congress leader Partap Singh Bajwa said none of the special sessions called so far had produced any results, but they would still cooperate. He added that the first session after the government was formed was convened on April 1, a day known as “Non-Serious Day.”
Chaos in the House
Speaking on the issue, Congress leader Partap Singh Bajwa asked why the Centre and Prime Minister Narendra Modi claim that Rs 12,000 crore is with the Punjab Government, while CM Bhagwant Mann and Finance Minister Harpal Cheema say it is Rs 1,500 crore. He demanded that the House be informed whether the Prime Minister is lying or the Chief Minister. “Punjab deserves to know the truth about this,” he added.
Irigation Minister Barinder Goyal, while presenting a proposal regarding the floods, said, “Punjab has witnessed a devastating flood not seen since 1987. We had demanded Rs 20,000 crore from the Central Government. However, a portion of the assistance declared by the Centre has still not been credited to Punjab’s account. Moreover, the Chief Minister of Punjab is not being given time for a meeting. Therefore, the House presents a proposal condemning the BJP-led Central Government. Not granting the Chief Minister time for a meeting has insulted the state. The actions of the Prime Minister’s Office are strongly condemned. Additionally, due to the delay in receiving token funds, work carried out by the Punjab Government is also being hindered. The demand of Rs 20,000 crore has been reiterated. The House recommends that this proposal be sent to the Prime Minister, the Home Minister, and the Finance Ministry.”
The Irrigation Minister, while presenting a proposal on flood relief and rehabilitation in Punjab, said despite PM Modi’s announcement, none of the Rs 1,600 crore has yet reached Punjab’s treasury.
Minister Barinder Goyal said while Operation Sindoor is being widely praised, drones fell across all of Punjab. The Central government should give our Chief Minister time to play its role in this tragedy. The Centre must step forward. "I do not blame anyone for what happened or how it happened. In this time of crisis, everyone should offer their support. There should be no discrimination. If we do not stand with Punjab today, it will be understood that we are shirking our responsibilities,” he said.
Barinder Goyal said the Centre should come forward for Punjab with an open heart. "We have no objection if funds are given to other countries. The Prime Minister gave Rs 7,000 crore to a small country. This money belongs to the people. It is surprising that our Chief Minister is not being given time to meet him. What could be a bigger mockery than this? The very ones who had earlier withheld our funds are the ones now giving them.”
The minister said: "PM Modi saab visited on September 9, whereas the flood had struck on August 25. There was no tweet expressing sympathy. Instead of immediate help, it was said that central teams would conduct a survey. I don’t know what kind of thermometers those teams had. After the teams visited, Modi saab came. We had demanded Rs 20,000 crore. People of Punjab are patient, but this was the first time Punjab truly needed it. Out of the Rs 20,000 crore demand, only Rs 1,600 crore was given, and that would have come anyway. Our Finance Minister will explain this. When our minister tried to say something to PM Modi, he didn’t respond."
Irrigation Minister Barinder Goyal said Punjab was facing such a massive tragedy for the first time. "When a major disaster occurs, attention naturally turns to the Central Government. Whatever the Centre has done is visible to everyone," he added.
He said, "The flood came on the 25th–26th. Central leaders kept visiting. Today, our wounds are still fresh. Yet the central leaders claimed that the flood occurred due to excessive mining and even called it a 'man-made flood.' I don’t know which dictionary they took that term from."
Barinder Goyal said the rights over dams held by the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) should belong to the Punjab Government. He added that during difficult times, when Punjab submits an application, the BBMB calls a meeting involving all states, but often not all members attend, delaying decisions. He said the entire history of the BBMB was known, and therefore, the full management of the BBMB should be with the Punjab Government.
The Irrigation Minister said hat during this tragedy, all ministers, MLAs, opposition leaders, the Chief Minister, social organisations and citizens contributed to helping people. A total of 2,300 villages were affected, impacting 20 lakh people. Five lakh acres of crops were destroyed, and 59 lives were lost. Seven lakh people were rendered homeless.
As many as 3,200 schools and 19 colleges were damaged. About 1,400 hospitals and clinics were affected, while 8,500 km of roads were broken, including damage to several main roads. Around 2,500 bridges were washed away, causing enormous losses to the state. Traffic was disrupted for several days. This is the scale of damage caused by the floods, said the minister.
The minister stated that the day-wise forecasts by the Meteorological Department proved to be entirely wrong. However, the Punjab Government made arrangements at its level. The water that came into the dams was carefully managed and released with full attention. He cited the example of the Ranjit Sagar Dam, where water was coming from the Ujh River and was released accordingly. The water was released in a balanced manner, following all rules related to dam management. Efforts were also made to safeguard the dams during that time, he claimed.
Dam management should be with Punjab Government: Goyal
No information provided in Assembly on Madhopur Barrage Gate collapse on August 27
Irrigation Minister Barinder Goyal said the flood brought all water from Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, and even Pakistan into Punjab’s rivers through 'khadds' and choe channels, causing devastation in the state. About 10 lakh cusecs of water came through the khadds. He added that all forecasts of the Meteorological Department proved to be wrong.
Met dept's forecast proves wrong; rainfall hundreds of times higher than predicted: Goyal
Irrigation Minister Barinder Goyal, while starting the discussion, said this was a very big tragedy. "No one has seen such a situation in their lifetime. This flood was even bigger than the one in 1988. At that time, 11.2 lakh cusecs of water had arrived, but this time 14.11 lakh cusecs of water came. This was 20% more water, " he added.
Assembly Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan said no one should play politics over the flood issue. He urged all opposition parties to participate in the discussion.
Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema said Punjab had witnessed devastating floods, the biggest of this century. In this regard, Irrigation Minister Barinder Kumar Goyal will present a proposal. During this, the discussion will focus on how much damage has occurred in which areas. It is expected that all opposition parties will also present their appropriate suggestions.
Annual report of JAB Agro Foods Corporation Limited for 2022-23.
Inspection report of Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, on the use of grants for 2020-21.
Annual accounts and audit report of PPSSU Road Transport Corporation for 2016-17.
Annual report of the Real Estate Regulatory Authority for 2023-24.
Annual report of Amritsar Development Authority for 2023-24.
Annual report of Punjab Information and Communication Technology Corporation Limited for 2020-21.
Annual accounts of Greater Ludhiana Area Development Authority (GLADA) from 2021-22 to 2023-24.
Annual report of Punjab Water Regulation and Development Authority for 2022-23.
Annual report of Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, for 2023-24.
Annual accounts of Punjab Fertilizer and Village Industries Board from 2016-17 to 2019-20 (34th to 37th annual accounts).
50th and 52nd annual reports of Punjab Water Resources Management and Development Corporation Limited for 2020-21 and 2022-23.
After paying tributes to various dignitaries, the House proceedings were adjourned until 12 noon.
At the beginning of the session, tributes were paid to former state minister Harmel Singh Tohra, former MLA Raghubir Singh, martyrs Bhanu Pratap Singh Mankotia (Lieutenant Colonel), Daljit Singh (ALD), Rinku Singh (Lance Naik), Pritpal Singh (Lance Naik), Harminder Singh (Sepoy), actor and comedian Jaswinder Bhalla, and musician Charanjit Singh Ahuja.
Punjab Assembly Special Session LIVE UPDATES: The Punjab Assembly on Thursday commenced a special session focused on the recent floods in the state. The session began with tributes paid to flood victims, former Punjab minister Harmel Tohra, Punjabi comedian Jaswinder Bhalla, music icon Charanjit Ahuja, and several other prominent figures.
Scheduled from September 26 to September 29, the session will not include a Question Hour, but a Zero Hour will allow MLAs to raise their issues. A key focus of the discussions will be on post-flood rehabilitation efforts. Tensions are expected as the opposition may question the AAP government on flood management and law-and-order issues.
During the monsoon, 23 districts in Punjab were affected by floods, impacting 2,565 villages and around 3,90,000 people. The disaster resulted in 57 deaths, with four persons still missing. The state government has declared Punjab a disaster-affected region. The Central Government has extended financial aid of Rs 1,600 crore, while noting that Punjab already has Rs 12,000 crore in its State Disaster Relief Fund.
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