Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Monday toured flood-ravaged villages in Amritsar and Gurdaspur, meeting victims and assuring them that their voices will be heard at the national level.

Rahul, who arrived at Amritsar airport in the morning, first paid obeisance at Gurdwara Baba Budha Sahib in Ramdas Ajnala, offering ardas for those who lost their lives in the floods and for the welfare of Punjabis. He was accompanied by senior Congress leaders, including party general secretary in-charge of Punjab.

Interacting with displaced families along the riverbanks, Rahul listened to their grievances. “We will raise your issues at the highest level and press for adequate relief. Immediate compensation for damaged houses is your right,” he assured flood victims.

However, his scheduled visit to village Toor across the swollen Ravi River had to be cancelled after local police and NDRF officials flagged safety concerns. Rahul had reached village Makora Pattan to board a boat for Toor, but a last-minute call from Union Home Minister Amit Shah to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge led to the cancellation. Authorities cited the danger of crossing floodwaters.

Congress leaders accompanying Rahul briefed him on the “negligence of the state and Central governments,” which they claimed had worsened the devastation.

The visit comes days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi toured Punjab’s flood-hit areas on September 9 and announced a relief package of ₹1,600 crore, in addition to the ₹12,000 crore already allotted to the state.