At a time when Punjab is grappling with devastating floods, a video of three Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) ministers casually discussing their luxury trips to Goa and Sweden has sparked outrage. The clip, showing the ministers on a boat in flood-hit areas while wearing life jackets, has triggered sharp criticism from the Opposition.
The ministers in question – Barinder Kumar Goyal, Laljit Bhullar, and Harbhajan Singh – were caught on camera reminiscing about foreign cruises and leisure travel, even as hundreds of villages in the state remain submerged. One minister can be heard describing a luxury cruise ride in Sweden, while another recalls his Goa experience.
Flood-hit families in Punjab beg for a glass of drinking water, but @AAPPunjab Ministers @barinder_goyal, @Laljitbhullar & @AAPHarbhajan found time to relive their ‘golden memories’ of luxury cruises in Sweden & Goa. What a relief tour!@INCIndia @INCPunjab https://t.co/lb0ShhL9zQ
— Partap Singh Bajwa (@Partap_Sbajwa) August 28, 2025
Reacting strongly, Leader of Opposition and Congress MLA Pratap Singh Bajwa launched a scathing attack on the Bhagwant Mann-led government. Taking to X, he wrote: “Flood-hit families in Punjab beg for a glass of drinking water, but AAP ministers found time to relive their ‘golden memories’ of luxury cruises in Sweden & Goa. What a relief tour!”
The controversy has erupted at a time when the flood situation remains grim across eight districts – Amritsar, Gurdaspur, Kapurthala, Tarn Taran, Fazilka, Hoshiarpur, Pathankot, and Ferozepur. Rescue and relief efforts are being carried out by the NDRF, SDRF, and the Indian Army, who are working round the clock to assist stranded families.
Reports suggest that over 500 villages have been affected, with homes and farmlands under water. The situation has worsened as water levels at Pong and Ranjit Sagar dams have crossed their maximum limit, while levels in the Bhakhra dam continue to rise. Meanwhile, the Ravi, Sutlej, and Beas rivers are overflowing due to relentless rainfall in Himachal Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir.
So far, at least three people have lost their lives, and standing crops worth several crores have been destroyed, adding to the misery of Punjab’s flood-hit communities.
