Seechewal seeks leave from attending House to help the flood-affected

Rajya Sabha member and environmentalist Balbir Singh Seechewal on Wednesday wrote a letter to the chairman of Rajya Sabha, requesting leave from attending the upcoming monsoon session of the Parliament due to floods in Punjab where he is actively involved in flood protection measures. Seechewal handed over the letter to cricketer-turned-politician Harbhajan Singh, who is his colleague in the Upper House.

In the letter, a copy of which is with The Indian Express, Seechewal emphasised that due to massive floods which have affected 19 districts of Punjab, he would find it challenging to juggle attending Parliament session and engaging in flood relief activities in the state.

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The dire flood situation demands his presence in the state, the letter stated. The environmentalist has urged the Rajya Sabha chairman in the letter to accept his leave request.

Meanwhile, Harbhajan Singh too is actively participating in the ongoing ‘kar sewa’ (voluntary service) for the flood-hit in the state. He had earlier faced criticism for his absence during the initial phase of the floods while on vacation abroad.