New Delhi, Dec 3 (IANS) Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP from Punjab, Malvinder Singh Kang, on Wednesday raised the issue of destruction caused by devastating floods in the state during the Lok Sabha session.

Urging the central government, he demanded that a special relief package of Rs 50,000 crore be released for the flood-affected regions. Kang accused the Government of India of discrimination, stating that even after two months, not a single rupee had been given to the 2,500 villages across six districts affected by the floods.

The Member of Parliament from Anandpur Sahib said that massive floods hit Punjab a few months ago. Due to these floods, around 2,500 villages across six districts were completely devastated. He said over 5 lakh acres of crops were completely destroyed. The most severe impact was felt in border districts.

“These are the same districts whose people stood shoulder to shoulder with the Indian Army during Operation Sindoor,” he added.

Expressing his anguish, Kang said that although the Prime Minister and several Union Ministers visited Punjab after the floods, even after two months had passed, the Government of India had not given a single rupee to help the people of these six districts get back on their feet and rehabilitate themselves.

Addressing the Prime Minister, he said, “When elections take place in Bihar, you announce packages of Rs 50,000 crore, Rs 70,000 crore and even Rs 90,000 crore.”

He said Punjab is the state which made the biggest contribution to India’s freedom struggle and to filling the nation’s food reserves, yet the same state is abandoned in its hour of need, “there can be no greater discrimination than this”.

The AAP MP said that the governments of Haryana and Rajasthan, which demand and claim Punjab’s share of water, also failed to support Punjab in this disaster.

Kang urged the Government of India to immediately release a special package of Rs 50,000 crore for Punjab’s flood-affected people, those whose homes, hospitals, roads and entire infrastructure have been destroyed, and whose 5 lakh acres of crops have been wiped out.

He said this fund would help Punjab’s people, especially those in border areas, who fight for the nation, to stand back on their feet.

–IANS

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