The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Punjab has come under severe attack from the opposition after a viral video showed three of its Cabinet ministers seemingly discussing their foreign luxury trips while on a flood inspection tour. The incident has drawn widespread condemnation for its apparent insensitivity as the state grapples with a devastating flood crisis.
The video, which was shared on social media platform X by prominent opposition leaders including BJP’s Tarun Chugh and Punjab Congress’s Partap Singh Bajwa, shows Ministers Harbhajan Singh, Barinder Kumar Goyal, and Laljit Singh Bhullar in a rescue boat in Tarn Taran. Dressed in life jackets, the ministers are purportedly heard engaging in a conversation about cruise trips. In the clip, Harbhajan Singh recalls a cruise in Sweden with a hotel and facilities on board, to which Barinder Goyal replies that it was the same in Goa.
The clip has gone viral at a time when Punjab is facing one of its most severe flood situations in years. Swollen rivers like the Ravi, Beas, and Sutlej, following heavy rains in their catchment areas, have displaced thousands and ravaged over a thousand villages. So far, over 7,600 people have been moved to safety, but a significant number are still waiting for help.
Hitting out at the AAP ministers, BJP leader Tarun Chugh said, “Punjab has drowned, fields have been destroyed, houses damaged, and families are on the streets. But even in these conditions, the ministers are talking about a Sweden-Goa cruise… The public is asking, did Punjab give you power so that you can recount stories of luxury at the time of crisis?” He further alleged that the AAP government has “failed to live up to people’s expectations.”
Similarly, Congress leader Partap Singh Bajwa took to X to criticize the ministers, stating, “Flood-hit families in Punjab beg for a glass of drinking water, but AAP Punjab’s Ministers… found time to relive their ‘golden memories’ of luxury cruises in Sweden and Goa. What a relief tour!” The incident underscores the deep-seated political tensions in the state and the challenges the government faces in managing both the disaster and the public narrative.
Punjab Ministers Face Backlash Over Viral “Cruise Chat” Video During Flood Inspection
