Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Saturday termed the special Assembly session called by ruling AAP over flood relief efforts a “drama” enacted to “hide the abject failure” in releasing relief money from the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF).
Addressing mediapersons in Ajnala, he said the session had also been called to shift the blame on the Centre.
During his visit to the state, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had mentioned that the Punjab Government had Rs 12,000 crore in the fund, stoking a row with ruling AAP questioning the claim.
Following the remark, the Opposition in the state has repeatedly demanded that the government come clean on the exact numbers.
Sukhbir raised the issue after he flagged off 20 trolleys loaded with maize silage for 100 flood-hit villages in Ajnala. Lashing out at the AAP government, he said instead of providing relief from the SDRF, the ruling party wasted time by convening the special session of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha and seeking central aid. He accused Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann of “enacting a drama” to “hide his abject failure” in releasing money for flood-hit farmers and labourers.