Rahul Gandhi visits flood-hit areas in Amritsar, Gurdaspur

 

 

CONGRESS leader Rahul Gandhi visited the flood-hit areas in Amritsar and Gurdaspur districts of Punjab on Monday and interacted with those affected by the natural disaster. After meeting the flood victims, he said “pain is clearly visible in their eyes, but their courage is unwavering”. Meanwhile, Congress leaders alleged that Gandhi was stopped by the local police from visiting Toor, a border village across the Ravi river in Gurdaspur. On the central relief package of Rs 1,600 crore for the State, the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha agreed with the state Congress leaders saying that it was far too less than what was needed.

 

His visit came nearly a week after Prime Minister Narendra Modi conducted an aerial survey of the flood-ravaged areas of Punjab and reviewed the situation the state. During his visit, Gandhi was accompanied by Punjab Congress chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring, Leader of Opposition in the Punjab Assembly Partap Singh Bajwa, Amritsar MP Gurjeet Singh Aujla, Gurdaspur MP Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa and other party leaders. Upon his arrival, Gandhi was briefed by the party leaders about the extent of damage and devastation caused in Punjab due to the recent floods. They also brought to his notice the alleged negligence of the State and Central Governments, which added to the devastation. The leaders told him that timely action by the State Government and the Centre could have prevented the damage by about 75 per cent. After arriving in Amritsar this morning, Gandhi straightway headed to Ghonewal village in Ajnala and met the flood-hit people to enquire about the damage.

 

Gandhi also visited the houses which were damaged by the recent floods and sat among some flood-affected people and interacted with them. “The flood has caused massive devastation in Punjab. Today I met the villagers in Ghonewal - ruined homes, damaged fields, shattered lives. The pain is clearly visible in their eyes, but their courage is unwavering,” Gandhi said in a post on X. “Both the State and Central Governments must ensure that the relief package and compensation reach the victims without any delay, who need it the most at this time.

 

I stand with every affected family in this tragedy. I will raise their voice and it is my resolve to provide them every possible help,” he said. He also shared pictures of flood-affected families and a house in dilapidated condition. After visiting Ghonewal village, Gandhi paid obeisance at the historic gurudwara Baba Budha Sahib in Ramdas area of Amritsar. He performed ‘ardas’ (prayer) for the welfare and prosperity of people including those who had suffered from the floods. Gandhi was given a ‘siropa’ (a robe of honour) at the gurudwara. Former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister and party’s Punjab in-charge Bhupesh Baghel and former Punjab CM Charanjit Singh Channi were also present. Gandhi later visited flood-affected Gurchak village in Dera Baba Nanak in Gurdaspur district.