Political slugfest erupts after Gujarat govt, state BJP unit send relief material to Punjab, Chhattisgarh

The train is carrying around 400 tonnes of food materials and 70 tonnes of medicines. The relief material sent to Punjab includes flour, potato, onion, rice, groundnut oil, sugar, wheat, milk powder, 10,000 tarpaulin sheets, 10,000 mosquito nets, 10,000 bed sheets and clothes, according to a statement from the state government.

The essential items were sent by different departments of the Gujarat government such as Relief Commissioner’s office, Food and Civil Supplies department, Agriculture and Health department.

While flagging off the train, the CM was joined by Health Minister Rushikesh Patel, Food and Civil Supplies Minister Kunvarji Bavaliya, Gandhinagar Mayor Miraben Patel, Principal Secretary of Food and Civil Supplies Department Mona Khandhar, Relief Commissioner Alok Pande and several BJP party leaders and workers.

Addressing the media persons on the sidelines of the event, Rushikesh Patel said, “The state government, the people here and the workers of BJP are always eager to help whenever a disaster strikes anywhere in the country, whether it is cyclone or flood. From wheat to clothes, the government has sent many things to the flood-affected people in 11 wagons. The BJP and its workers have also sent relief material in 11 wagons to Punjab. So, a train with a total of 22 wagons has left from Gujarat to Punjab.”

Providing updates about the flood situation in Banaskantha, Rushikesh Patel said that the state government is making every effort to mitigate the situation and provide relief material there.

He said that the CM will visit the district on Thursday and stay there overnight to take stock of the flood situation. The minister said that the health department has put up a camp and arrangements are being made to ensure that necessary medical help reaches the people.

Earlier in the day, the CM had also flagged off trucks carrying relief material to Chhattisgarh from Shree Kamalam in the presence of party general secretary Rajni Patel, Kunvarji Bavaliya and Rushikesh Patel. Quoting Rajni Patel, a party release stated, “BJP stands by the society in times of happiness and sadness. BJP is always eager to serve people through (its motto of) Seva hi Sangathan.”

According to the release, the party has sent 8000 relief kits to Chhattisgarh that include essential items such as pulses, rice, oil, wheat flour, sugar, chilly powder, salt, turmeric, matchbox, candles, utensils and clothes etc.

Quoting Rajni Patel, the release also stated, “It is sad that in the times of calamity, the Congress MP has not reached Banaskantha. But BJP workers are staying among the people and are doing service.”

Out of the total 26 Lok Sabha seats in Gujarat, Congress has only one seat of Banaskantha from where Geniben Thakor has been elected.

Responding to Rajni Patel’s claim, Gujarat Congress spokesperson Manish Doshi said, “It’s a lie that Congress MP has not reached Banaskantha. Geniben is very much in Suigam (the flood-affected part of Banaskantha). Congress workers are there on the field and doing whatever they can as the water level is high. And Geniben does not only belong to Banaskantha but she raises issues of Gujarat unlike the 25 BJP MPs. We have postponed our programme in Gandhinagar and appealed to the workers to provide as much help as they can. It is our responsibility also to help people in such times. This is a natural calamity.”

“I want to tell the BJP and its leaders like Rajni Patel that the biggest factor responsible for the waterlogging in Banaskantha is the corrupt system. Under BJP, illegal constructions have come up across the state, including Banaskantha. These Illegal constructions have been done even on natural courses of the water resulting in waterlogging,” he alleged.

“Places like Palanpur, Deesa, Dhanera of Banaskantha are full of such illegal constructions. This is the third time Banaskantha is facing flood since 2017 and people are yet to get the relief amount even for the first flood. People are in pain and the system is sleeping. Instead of making allegations against Congress, the BJP should give answers to that.”