Punjab AAP Leaders Slam Raghav Chadha for Failing to Raise State’s Core Issues in Parliament

Chandigarh, April 4, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)

Senior leaders of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) including Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema, AAP Punjab President Aman Arora, and AAP Punjab Chief Spokesperson Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal on Saturday launched a sharp attack on Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha over the failure to raise Punjab’s key issues in Parliament.

They highlighted that critical matters, including ₹8,500 crore RDF dues, ₹60,000 crore GST losses, and ₹1,600 crore flood relief, were not taken up, despite repeated communication. Calling the silence a betrayal of Punjab’s people and mandate, the leaders said the failure to raise farmers’ concerns and flood victims’ plight reflects a complete disconnect from ground realities.

Raising concerns over parliamentary representation, Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema stated, “Raghav Chadha was elected to the Rajya Sabha by Punjab’s MLAs with the expectation that he would strongly represent the state’s concerns at the national level. However, he completely avoided raising even a single sensitive issue related to Punjab.”

Listing key financial issues, Harpal Singh Cheema said, “He failed to raise several critical matters, including the pending Rural Development Fund (RDF) amount of nearly ₹8,500 crore, massive GST-related losses to Punjab amounting to around ₹60,000 crore since its implementation, and additional financial setbacks of ₹5,000–6,000 crore due to changes in GST compensation. Funds under the National Health Mission were also not adequately. addressed.”

Referring to flood relief, he added, “Despite the Prime Minister’s announcement of ₹1,600 crore in relief for Punjab after the devastating floods, not even a fraction of that amount has reached Punjab’s treasury. All these issues were repeatedly conveyed to Raghav Chadha, yet he did not raise even one of them in Parliament.”

Expressing disappointment, the Punjab cabinet minister said, “We sent him to the Rajya Sabha with hope, but he did not speak even once before the Prime Minister on these issues. This clearly shows a compromise. Aam Aadmi Party is a party that gives opportunities to common people, but remaining silent on such crucial issues is a betrayal of Punjab and its people.”

Meanwhile, AAP Punjab President Aman Arora stated, “Raghav Chadha must remember the role played by Arvind Kejriwal and the party in elevating him politically. Instead of focusing on Punjab’s pressing issues such as pending RDF funds and flood relief, he chose to raise unrelated matters, which has been noticed by the entire country.”

Reiterating party principles, he emphasized, “Aam Aadmi Party was founded on the principle of fighting for people’s rights without fear, and any deviation from that path is unexpected and unacceptable. Raghav Chadha should introspect and remember the party’s core mission of standing up against injustice and advocating for people’s rights.”

On the other hand, AAP spokesperson and MLA Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal stated, “There is deep disappointment over Raghav Chadha’s silence on the plight of flood-affected people in Punjab. Party leaders and affected residents repeatedly urged him to raise the issue of compensation in Parliament, especially the ₹1,600 crore relief announced by the Prime Minister, which has still not been delivered.”

Standing in a flood-affected village, he added, “It is clear that people suffered massive losses to homes, crops, and infrastructure, yet their voice was never raised at the national level. We expected him to strongly demand justice and relief for Punjab’s flood victims, but his silence has been a huge disappointment. The people of Punjab will not forget this neglect.”

The AAP leaders collectively asserted that Punjab’s issues must be forcefully raised at every platform, and any failure to do so amounts to a betrayal of the mandate given by the people and AAP.