In a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his visit to Punjab on Friday, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Saturday described the visit as a “flop show”, alleging that the Centre had failed to address the state’s key concerns, including pending funds, border security and farmers’ issues.

AAP Punjab chief spokesperson Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal alleged that the Prime Minister’s statements during the visit were “hollow” and intended to mislead people.

Targeting the BJP, Dhaliwal alleged that while the Prime Minister termed the Punjab Government as “kattar beiman”, his own party had exploited people’s religious sentiments in the Ram Mandir case.

“Those who steal donations in the name of Ram Temple can never be honest towards the nation,” Dhaliwal said, alleging that the BJP openly stole donations by exploiting the faith of people across the country in the name of the construction of the Ram Mandir. He further alleged that the Modi government had primarily worked to benefit industrialists Ambani and Adani.

Dhaliwal accused the BJP-led Union Government of withholding Punjab’s Rural Development Fund (RDF) and other dues worth thousands of crores. He said that while the Centre criticised the Punjab Government for taking loans, the borrowings were being utilised for public welfare, including hospitals, schools, roads, healthcare facilities, pensions and other development works.

Raising objections to the Centre’s policy of 20 per cent ethanol blending in petrol, Dhaliwal claimed it had increased the financial burden on consumers instead of reducing fuel prices.

On the issue of drugs, the AAP leader blamed the previous BJP-Shiromani Akali Dal government for the spread of narcotics in Punjab. He also accused the Centre of failing to install advanced anti-drone systems along the 532-km Indo-Pak border despite repeated requests from Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann to curb cross-border smuggling of drugs and weapons.

Dhaliwal further alleged that the Prime Minister remained silent on farmers’ concerns, including compensation for flood victims and the impact of the proposed India-US trade agreement on Punjab’s agriculture. He claimed that although the Centre had announced Rs 1,600 crore for flood relief, the amount had not been released.

He claimed that the Prime Minister “came empty-handed and returned empty-handed”. Dhaliwal asked Punjab BJP leaders to explain what the Centre had offered the state during the visit. He asserted that the Punjab Government had supported flood-affected farmers by providing compensation of Rs 20,000 per acre and other relief measures, while accusing the Centre of failing to fulfil its promises.