Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema sharply criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s announcement of Rs 1,600 crore in financial aid for the flood-ravaged state, calling it “miserably meagre” on September 10, 2025. The state, reeling from its worst floods since 1988, has suffered extensive damage, with 52 deaths reported and crops on 1.91 lakh hectares destroyed.

During an aerial survey of the devastated areas, Modi also announced ex gratia payments of Rs 2 lakh for families of the deceased and Rs 50,000 for the seriously injured. However, Cheema, addressing the media in Chandigarh, argued that the aid falls far short of Punjab’s needs, citing Cabinet Minister Hardeep Singh Mundian’s demand for Rs 20,000 crore as interim relief during a review meeting in Gurdaspur.

Cheema alleged that Modi dismissed Mundian’s request, sarcastically asking, “Do you not understand Hindi? Do you not understand that Rs 1,600 crore has been given?” The finance minister accused the PM of insulting Punjab’s language, people, and identity with the remark, escalating tensions over the central government’s response.

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Taking aim at Modi’s delayed visit—nearly 30 days after the floods struck—Cheema claimed the PM failed to connect with affected families, ignoring those who lost loved ones, homes, and crops. “It’s like ‘Oont ke mooh mein jeera’ (a cumin seed in a camel’s mouth),” he remarked, emphasizing the inadequacy of the aid. He further alleged that Modi sidelined Punjab’s elected government, choosing instead to meet BJP members during his brief visit.

The floods have left agricultural fields submerged, with up to five feet of sand accumulating in some areas, rendering vast tracts of farmland unusable. Cheema highlighted the scale of the disaster, accusing the central government of neglecting Punjab’s plight.

As Punjab grapples with one of its worst flood crises in decades, Cheema’s outspoken criticism has sparked debate over the adequacy of the central government’s response and its commitment to supporting the state’s recovery. With the death toll rising and livelihoods shattered, Punjab’s leaders are pressing for urgent and substantial relief to address the ongoing devastation.

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