CHANDIGARH: The devastating floods of 2025 have laid bare a monumental collapse of governance, preparedness, and accountability under the Bhagwant Mann–led Aam Aadmi Party government in Punjab, said the Punjab BJP’s Chargesheet detailing the reasons for flood mismanagement in Punjab, which Ashwani Sharma, Working President, Bharatiya Janta Party Punjab, at Party headquarters in Chandigarh, released.
“Despite repeated warnings, expert reports, and vast resources at its disposal, the Punjab government failed miserably to protect its people or respond effectively, ” stated Sharma, flanked by state vice presidents Bikram Singh Chema, Dr Subhash Sharma, and State Media Head Vineet Joshi.
Despite the horrors of the 2023 floods, no lessons were learned, Sharma said. “No inquiry was ever completed, and key recommendations were ignored. Even when the Meteorological Department issued early warnings, the AAP government’s response remained reactive rather than proactive. Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann was busy touring outside the state while Punjab drowned in distress.”
He cited a glaring example of catastrophic mismanagement of river embankments, headworks, and drainage systems. “Multiple reports identified 133 vulnerable points along Punjab’s rivers. Instead of taking urgent preventive measures, the government allowed rampant illegal mining near riverbanks, weakening embankments and directly causing large-scale breaches, ” he said.
Sharma further added, “The tragic collapse of the Madhopur floodgates, left in disrepair but falsely certified as ‘safe, ’ unleashed devastation across Pathankot, Gurdaspur, and Amritsar, leaving countless families ruined.”
Sharma alleged that ₹12, 500 crore SDRF given by the Central Government to the Punjab AAP Government for pre-flood preventive measures, during flood relief operations, and post-flood rehabilitation was diverted by CM Bhagwant Mann and his Finance Minister Harpal Cheema for routine administrative expenses.