High drama unfolded on the banks of the flooded Ravi Monday when Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who was touring flood-hit villages in Amritsar and Gurdaspur, was stopped by local police and NDRF personnel from proceeding to marooned settlements on the Indo-Pak border. Gandhi, who had spent the day meeting victims and assessing damage, was told it was unsafe to attempt the boat crossing to the “zero line” villages that remain cut off due to the swollen river. Congress state chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring later claimed that Gandhi was advised against the visit after Home Minister Amit Shah called Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, asking him to intervene on security grounds. “I was driving Rahul Gandhi to the spot when Kharge ji called to say that Amit Shah had phoned him, asking to immediately stop Gandhi from trying to visit the villages on zero line citing security concerns,” Warring said. At Makora Pattan, from where Gandhi had planned to take a boat to Toor village near the border, police stopped the convoy. A video of the standoff shows a police officer cautioning Gandhi that the water was too rough for crossing. Gandhi is heard countering that the river looked calm, adding that this was not the real reason for stopping him. After visiting a flood-hit village in Ajnala, Gandhi drove straight to Gurdwara Budha Sahib Ji and performed ardas for the wellbeing of the flood-hit Punjab. He was presented with a ‘siropa’ by the management. Interacting with flood-affected residents, Gandhi asked about their immediate concerns. Most people living along the riverbanks demanded quick compensation for their damaged houses. Gandhi assured them he would raise their concerns. “State and central governments must ensure that relief and compensation reach victims without delay,” he posted on X. “I stand with every affected family and will raise their voice and ensure they get all possible help.”
