Chandigarh: Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema on Friday criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his Punjab visit, alleging that the Prime Minister chose to make political speeches instead of announcing the release of the state’s pending financial dues.
Addressing a press conference, Cheema said the people of Punjab had expected the Centre to clear the state’s long-pending dues, but Modi remained silent on the issue while attacking political opponents during his public address.
“The people of Punjab had high expectations from the Prime Minister’s visit. They hoped he would announce the release of Punjab’s legitimate dues, but instead he focused on politics,” Cheema said.
Responding to Modi’s criticism of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government, Cheema claimed that the Bhagwant Mann-led government had fulfilled all five guarantees promised to the people within four-and-a-half years. He said Punjab has been providing 300 units of free electricity every month, expanded healthcare through the Mukh Mantri Sehat Bima Yojana, created over 68,000 government jobs on merit, and increased investment in education, roads and sports infrastructure.
Cheema also defended the government’s anti-drug campaign, Yudh Nashean Virudh, and said the Jaagat Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar Act had been enacted to prevent incidents of sacrilege.
Drawing a comparison with the previous Shiromani Akali Dal-BJP government, the Finance Minister alleged that the former regime presided over the spread of drugs and incidents of sacrilege, while the present government has focused on law enforcement and welfare measures.
Cheema further accused the Centre of withholding Punjab’s financial dues, including the Rural Development Fund (RDF) and mandi fee payments. He also claimed that despite the Centre announcing ₹1,600 crore in assistance after last year’s floods, the amount had not been released to the state.
“The BJP-led Central Government is withholding Punjab’s rightful dues while the Bhagwant Mann government continues to invest in schools, hospitals, roads and other public infrastructure,” he said.
The Finance Minister maintained that the AAP government has significantly increased capital expenditure compared to previous administrations and reiterated that the people of Punjab had expected concrete financial announcements from the Prime Minister’s visit rather than political criticism.
