Caught on camera: Punjab ministers discuss cruise trips while inspecting flood-hit Tarn Taran; draw ire | Watch
PTC Web Desk: The opposition in Punjab on Saturday hit out at the Bhagwant Mann-led AAP government after a video surfaced showing three Cabinet ministers discussing their cruise experiences while touring flood-affected areas in Tarn Taran.
The viral clip, shared on X by BJP leader Tarun Chugh and Punjab Congress leader Partap Singh Bajwa, shows ministers Harbhajan Singh, Barinder Kumar Goyal, and Laljit Singh Bhullar seated in a boat wearing life jackets, allegedly exchanging stories of cruise trips in Sweden and Goa.
In the video, Punjab Power Minister Harbhajan Singh is heard saying, “I went on a cruise in Sweden. There was everything on the ship itself, hotel and all.” To this, Water Resources Minister Barinder Goyal responds that the same facilities are available in Goa.
The timing of this conversation sparked outrage, as thousands in Punjab continue to battle floods caused by swollen rivers and rivulets following heavy rainfall in upstream Himachal Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir. According to officials, more than 7,600 persons have been evacuated to safer places, while rescue and relief operations are still underway.
Criticising the ministers, BJP’s Tarun Chugh said, “Punjab has drowned, fields have been destroyed, houses damaged, and families are on the streets. But even in these conditions, the ministers are talking about cruises in Sweden and Goa instead of sharing the pain of flood victims.” He accused the AAP government of failing to live up to public expectations, calling the ministers’ remarks “insensitive” and “out of touch with reality.”
Punjab Congress leader Partap Singh Bajwa also joined the attack, posting on X: “Flood-hit families in Punjab beg for a glass of drinking water, but AAP’s ministers Barinder Goyal, Laljit Bhullar, and Harbhajan Singh found time to relive their ‘golden memories’ of luxury cruises. What a relief tour!”
- PTC NEWS
