New Delhi, April 5 (IANS) A fresh political confrontation has emerged within the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) after Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema criticised Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha, alleging that key issues concerning Punjab were not adequately raised in the Parliament.
Reacting to Chadha's recent defence of his parliamentary record, Cheema said, "In Punjab, there has been a huge flood, yet not a word was spoken on any real issues. A large amount of Punjab's funds has been withheld by the Central government, but no one spoke about it."
He also highlighted security and economic concerns, saying, "The tension that arose between India and Pakistan caused significant losses in Punjab, especially in border districts, yet there was no discussion on that either."
Calling these omissions serious, Cheema added, "These are major issues affecting Punjab's economy, and these were the matters that needed to be addressed, but they were ignored."
Minister Cheema's remarks underscore growing internal disagreements within AAP over how effectively Punjab's concerns are being represented at the national level.
The criticism comes amid an ongoing debate about pending central funds, disaster response, and the economic fallout in border areas.
Punjab has recently faced challenges, including flooding in several districts, fiscal strain linked to withheld dues, and heightened sensitivities along the international border with Pakistan. These factors have contributed to political pressure on leaders to ensure stronger advocacy in Parliament.
Earlier, Chadha had categorically rejected similar allegations from AAP, saying that his record reflects consistent engagement on Punjab-related matters.
"I outrightly dismiss the baseless and maliciously motivated allegations being levelled… that I failed to raise Punjab's issues in Parliament, " he had said.
Chadha also emphasised that his interventions are part of the official parliamentary record, saying, "This is not a matter of opinion, propaganda, or political convenience. It is a matter of official record, available for every citizen to verify."
He said that he had raised the issue of pending funds, including Rural Development Fund dues, during a Parliamentary intervention in July 2024.