A video of three Punjab ministers purportedly discussing their cruise holidays while on a flood inspection has sparked outrage as swollen rivers continue to displace thousands across the state,
The clip, purportedly shot in Tarn Taran, 228 km west of Chandigarh, is circulating widely on social media. The Telegraph Online has not independently verified the authenticity of the video but there have been no complaints about it being fake at the time of writing this report.
It shows ministers men resembling ministers Harbhajan Singh, Barinder Kumar Goyal and Laljit Singh Bhullar talking about trips to Sweden and Goa even as rescue teams race to move people to safety.
In the clip, the person resembling Harbhajan Singh, state minister for power and energy, is heard saying, “I went on a cruise in Sweden. There was everything on the ship itself, hotel and all.” The man resembling Punjab water resources minister Barinder Goyal responds, “It was the same in Goa.”
The purported conversation struck a nerve as thousands of families across Punjab are struggling against rising waters from swollen rivers and rivulets following heavy rains in Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir.
BJP leader Tarun Chugh, who shared the video, hit out at the government.
“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 while sitting in a boat instead of sharing the pain of flood victims,” he said.
“The public is asking, did Punjab give you power so that you can recount stories of luxury at the time of crisis? Or so that you can reduce our troubles? The leaders who talk about luxury in times of disaster are actually the biggest culprits of the destruction of Punjab,” Chugh added.
Congress leader Partap Singh Bajwa also criticised the ministers.
In a post on X, he wrote, “Flood-hit families in Punjab beg for a glass of drinking water, but AAP Punjab's Ministers Barinder Goyal, Laljit Bhullar and Harbhajan Singh found time to relive their 'golden memories' of luxury cruises in Sweden and Goa. What a relief tour!”
Punjab flood relief and rescue
Relief operations continued across multiple districts even as the political row escalated. Over 7,600 people have been evacuated so far, per officials.
Nearly 100 villages in Ferozepur district alone have been severely affected by the swelling Sutlej river.
Deputy commissioner Deepshikha Sharma said, “Relief camps have been set up across the district, where around 350 people are currently being provided food and essential supplies. Nearly 3,000 families have received dry rations.”
“Rescue teams from the NDRF, army and BSF are using boats and other resources to evacuate residents trapped in submerged areas,” she added.
At Rukne Wala village, five boats rescued nearly 100 people, including a pregnant woman who was given immediate medical assistance.
In Sultanpur Lodhi, Rajya Sabha MP Balbir Singh Seechewal and his followers distributed cooked food and groceries to affected farmers.
Veterinary teams have been deployed in Dulchike, Muhammad Wala and Gatti Rajoke to treat livestock, while health department teams are conducting anti-dengue and malaria spraying in several villages.
Despite some relief as water in the Beas river began to recede, over 50,000 acres of paddy remain under five feet of water.
The body of a 40-year-old man, Buta Mohammad from Dhilwan, was recovered from the Beas after being reported missing since Thursday. The floods have left villages in multiple districts struggling with displacement, damaged crops, and livestock losses.