NEW DELHI — Congress leader Rahul Gandhi wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday, calling the Centre’s ₹1,600-crore relief package for flood-affected Punjab a “grave injustice” and demanding a bolder response, according to details received by The Chenab Times.
Gandhi highlighted that Punjab has suffered losses of at least ₹20,000 crore, with over 4 lakh acres of paddy crop destroyed and more than 10 lakh animals perished. He noted that vast tracts of land remain uncultivable, thousands of acres are submerged, and villages are cut off, PTI reported.
“This crisis demands a bolder response. I request the government to facilitate a quick assessment of the damage and deliver a comprehensive relief package,” Gandhi wrote, urging a rapid, transparent assessment and immediate announcement of a relief and rehabilitation package.
The letter follows Gandhi’s recent visit to flood-hit areas in Punjab, where he interacted with affected families and farmers in Gurdaspur. Congress leader Pargat Singh praised Gandhi for understanding Punjab’s pain.
The floods have affected 1,98,525 hectares of crop area, with major losses in Gurdaspur (40,169 hectares), Patiala (17,690 hectares), Tarn Taran (12,828 hectares), Fazilka (25,182 hectares), Ferozepur (17,257 hectares), and Kapurthala (17,574 hectares), Hindustan Times reported. The death toll stands at 56, according to Punjab Revenue, Rehabilitation and Disaster Management Minister Hardeep Singh.
On September 9, PM Modi announced the ₹1,600-crore assistance during an aerial survey of Punjab and visited the state. Ministers from the AAP government in Punjab criticized the amount as a “cruel joke” and “insult.”
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