Was PM Modi's Visit to Punjab Merely a Political Performance?

Chandigarh, Sep 10 (NationPress) Following Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the flood-stricken regions of Punjab, state Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema criticized the event on Wednesday, branding it a political performance rather than a sincere attempt to provide assistance.

Cheema highlighted the stark contrast between PM Modi's rapid response to Afghanistan and his delayed, minimal aid of Rs 1600 crore to Punjab, which came only after a lengthy silence of 30 days. “While the Prime Minister expressed sympathy and support for Afghanistan almost immediately, it took him a whole month to acknowledge the plight of the people of Punjab, who have made significant sacrifices for our nation,” Cheema stated during a media briefing.

He pointed out the Prime Minister's apparent lack of empathy, stating that instead of comforting the grieving families who have lost loved ones, comforting farmers whose crops were devastated, and supporting laborers whose homes were destroyed, he merely exacerbated their suffering.

Cheema expressed sorrow that the Prime Minister “did not dry the tears of mothers who lost their sons, did not hold the hands of sisters mourning their brothers, did not stand with the wives who lost their husbands, and did not support the children left parentless. He merely came to advance his own political agenda.”

The Finance Minister also commented on an incident where PM Modi dismissed state Cabinet minister Hardeep Singh Mundian, who was advocating for a relief package of Rs 20,000 crore, with the remark ‘aapko Hindi samaj nahi aati’ (you do not understand Hindi). Cheema condemned this comment as a deliberate affront to Punjab, its citizens, and the Punjabi language.

While displaying images of Cabinet Minister Mundian alongside the Prime Minister, Cheema asserted that the visuals clearly depicted Mundian's sincere request for assistance contrasted with the Prime Minister's arrogant demeanor. He remarked that the Prime Minister's disregard for the Punjabi language, coupled with his indifference to the flood victims, unveils his genuine animosity towards Punjab.

“We have respect for the Hindi language, which many of us have studied in schools. However, to insult a Cabinet minister from an elected state government based on linguistic differences is not merely arrogance; it is a betrayal of federal dignity,” he stated.

Cheema also criticized the Prime Minister’s choice to meet with BJP representatives and party workers rather than the flood-affected residents. He shared images of BJP leaders who were misrepresented as flood victims during the meeting.

“If he was only interested in meeting his party members,” Cheema remarked, “he could have invited them to Delhi for a tea gathering instead of staging this theatrical display in Punjab.”