When the people of Punjab were battling floods, former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and senior AAP leader Munish Sisodia suddenly appeared on the scene. On the surface, this might have looked like an act of solidarity, but the timing told another story. Both leaders had just applied for exemption from personal appearance in court, citing their “busy schedule in Punjab.” Their subsequent, highly publicised visit to flood-hit villages left many asking: Was this truly about helping the people, or was it simply about saving themselves from legal obligations?
Politics and law have always intersected in India, but rarely has the connection been this blatant. In their court filings, Kejriwal and Sisodia claimed they were occupied with pressing duties in Punjab. Yet, their only recorded activity was a staged tour of a handful of flood-hit areas, complete with cameras, party workers, and carefully arranged interactions with locals.
This raises a crucial question: if their presence in Punjab was significant enough to avoid court proceedings, why did their visit not result in substantial relief announcements? Why were the issues of compensation, dam management, and flood-prevention infrastructure left untouched? Instead, the visit resembled a political photoshoot — more about image management than disaster management.
Punjab’s tryst with floods is not new. Almost every monsoon season, low-lying districts suffer heavy damage due to overflowing rivers and poor dam management. Experts have long warned that lack of coordination between irrigation authorities, delayed release of dam waters, and rampant encroachments along riverbanks contribute to repeated disasters.
This year was no different. Thousands of families lost homes and farmland, roads were washed away, and relief distribution was plagued with allegations of mismanagement. In such a crisis, people expect leadership — leaders who stand shoulder-to-shoulder with victims, not leaders who use their pain as a backdrop for personal or legal convenience.
Kejriwal and his party have often been accused of political theatre. From dramatic dharnas in Delhi to scripted public interactions in Punjab, the strategy has been clear: optics over outcomes. This latest flood visit fits into the same pattern.
Instead of bringing along administrative officials, engineers, or disaster experts, Kejriwal and Sisodia brought cameras and soundbites. Instead of unveiling plans to strengthen embankments or compensate farmers, they offered sympathy wrapped in political performance. The people of Punjab have seen enough of these dramas to know when they are being used as props.
The irony of citing a “busy schedule” in Punjab while using that time for a publicity tour has not gone unnoticed. For many, this episode symbolizes the widening gap between what politicians say in court and what they do in public. It is not just a matter of insensitivity — it is a matter of credibility.
Public trust is fragile. When leaders misuse tragedy to secure personal advantage, it corrodes the faith people have in governance and institutions. Punjab’s flood victims, already struggling with despair, now feel doubly betrayed — first by nature, and then by the leaders who promised to stand with them.
Since coming to power, AAP has promised a “new politics” — one based on honesty, transparency, and accountability. Yet, the ground reality in Punjab tells another story. Flood mismanagement, lack of preparedness, and delayed relief distribution are only the latest failures. Farmers complain of inadequate compensation, families are forced to live in temporary shelters, and local NGOs allege that government aid is slow and insufficient.
Kejriwal and Sisodia’s visit highlighted this contradiction. While claiming to be too busy with governance to appear in court, their actual governance record in Punjab reveals neglect and mismanagement. The symbolism of their visit did little to hide the absence of meaningful action.
There is also a larger institutional question here. When leaders seek exemption from court appearances by citing official duties, the judiciary accepts such claims in good faith. But when those duties turn out to be little more than political theatre, it undermines the integrity of the judicial process.
This creates a dangerous precedent: that politics can be used as a shield against accountability. If leaders are allowed to skip legal obligations by staging symbolic visits, then the very principle of equality before law stands weakened. Punjab’s people, who watch their leaders escape courtrooms while they themselves struggle to access justice, feel the unfairness deeply.
Indian politics has often witnessed such episodes. Leaders across parties have been accused of turning disasters into opportunities for self-promotion. During floods in Bihar, cyclones in Odisha, or earthquakes in Gujarat, politicians have historically treated tragedies as stages for political performance. But what makes the Kejriwal-Sisodia episode stand out is its blatant link to a legal excuse. Rarely has the connection between courtroom strategy and public optics been so openly visible.
The Real Issues Ignored
While leaders played politics, real issues went unanswered. Punjab desperately needs:
A comprehensive flood-control policy that includes better dam management, modern forecasting, and stronger embankments.
Immediate relief and rehabilitation for families who lost homes, crops, and livestock.
Transparency in relief distribution to prevent corruption and favoritism.
Long-term planning to address the root causes of repeated floods, including unchecked urbanization, deforestation, and poor drainage systems.
None of these were discussed during Kejriwal and Sisodia’s tour. The visit generated headlines, but no hope.
On the ground, anger is simmering. Villagers who expected relief felt used. Civil society groups working tirelessly to provide food and shelter to victims expressed frustration that political leaders only appeared for cameras. Opposition parties have seized the opportunity to highlight AAP’s failure, but beyond politics, ordinary citizens feel abandoned.
Many say they now see through the “scripted sympathy” that has become the hallmark of such visits. For a state that has already faced economic struggles, drug crises, and migration challenges, the floods were another blow. To see leaders trivialize this suffering for personal gain has left a bitter aftertaste.
The floods in Punjab were a human tragedy that demanded honesty, action, and leadership. Instead, the state got a political drama staged for the benefit of courts and cameras. By using Punjab’s suffering as a cover for personal exemption from court appearances, Kejriwal and Sisodia exposed not just their priorities but also the hollowness of their “new politics.”
Punjab does not need leaders who arrive only when it suits their legal strategy. It needs leaders who stay, plan, and deliver when disaster strikes. Until that happens, every staged visit will only deepen public mistrust. The people of Punjab deserve sincerity, not spectacle — and they are beginning to demand it louder than ever before.