Three Punjab ministers, who were supposed to conduct a survey while the state faces its worst floods since 1988, were found discussing cruises, holidays, and a trip to Sweden. A video later emerged showing them casually recalling their foreign vacations during a flood inspection in Tarn Taran district. The timing of their remarks, as people across the state struggle with devastating floods, has sparked outrage and sharp criticism from the opposition.
The footage, streamed live from minister Laljit Singh Bhullar’s Facebook account, showed Bhullar alongside fellow ministers Harbhajan Singh and Barinder Kumar Goyal sitting on a boat in life jackets. During the live broadcast, Harbhajan Singh could be heard reminiscing about a cruise in Sweden and a holiday in Goa—apparently unaware that their conversation was being aired.
Moments later, a second video appeared on the same page, this time showing the ministers making formal appeals to residents to follow government instructions and shift to safer areas.
All three leaders had been assigned as flood relief in-charges for Punjab’s border districts. However, their casual conversation quickly went viral, drawing nearly 90,000 views and a barrage of angry reactions online.
Seizing the opportunity, the Congress slammed the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government. Leader of Opposition Pratap Singh Bajwa posted on X (formerly Twitter):
“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!”
Punjab Battles Worst Floods in Decades
The controversy comes as Punjab reels under its worst flooding since 1988. Overflowing waters from the Sutlej, Beas, and Ravi rivers, along with several smaller streams, have inundated vast stretches of farmland and villages. The deluge followed days of intense rainfall in catchment areas of Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir.
Districts including Pathankot, Gurdaspur, Fazilka, Kapurthala, Tarn Taran, Ferozepur, Hoshiarpur, and Amritsar are among the hardest hit.
Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has directed district administrations to intensify rescue and relief efforts. The Congress, however, has accused the government of negligence, calling the floods a “man-made disaster.” Punjab Congress chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring alleged that the administration failed to release water from dams in time, resulting in severe crop losses and widespread damage to property.
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
IMD Explained The Reason Of Excess Rainfall In North India
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) says North India is currently experiencing its wettest monsoon since 2013, the year of the catastrophic Kedarnath floods. Rainfall in the region has been 21% above normal, with 21 extremely heavy rain events recorded until August 25—a sharp rise from 14 such events during the same period last year.
Explaining the unusual weather trend, IMD chief Mrutyunjay Mohapatra said:
“In the last two months, northwest India has seen high rainfall activity mainly because of frequent interactions between western disturbances and monsoon currents from the Bay of Bengal and sometimes from the Arabian Sea. When these currents meet over the region, a lot of rain takes place.”
Northwest India, as defined by IMD, includes Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan. The majority of extreme rain events this season have been reported from Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Jammu and Kashmir.
August Rainfall Patterns Show Sharp Spike
Interestingly, August 2023 witnessed more overall rainfall but fewer extremely heavy downpours compared with this year. Last year, North India recorded 256.4 mm of rainfall in August, while this year, the region has already logged 209.4 mm by August 26, with five days still to go.
The flood situation in Punjab remains severe across eight districts, including Amritsar, Gurdaspur, Kapurthala, Tarn Taran, Fazilka, Hoshiarpur, Pathankot, and Ferozepur, with NDRF, SDRF, and the Army assisting in rescue and relief efforts.
Update: Flood Relief Operations
The #IndianArmy in response to the massive floods in parts of Punjab, has deployed Army Aviation Helicopters for flood relief and rescue operations as part of its #HADR efforts . Displaying selfless commitment and extraordinary flying skills, the… pic.twitter.com/BhXbUB59UP
— ADG PI – INDIAN ARMY (@adgpi) August 28, 2025
Most of the extreme downpours this month have been concentrated in the Himalayan states. Mohapatra added that the formation of a trough in eastern Pakistan has contributed to the recent spell of heavy showers, which could persist for another couple of days. On August 25 alone, North India received 21.8 mm of rain, nearly four times higher than the daily normal of 5.6 mm.
