'AAP Only Blames Others': Haryana Min Flays Kejriwal-led Party Over Punjab Stubble Burning

Farm fires, considered a contributor to rising pollution in the National Capital Region (NCR), are on the rise in north Indian states, especially Punjab. Despite alternatives to stubble burning being proposed, the air quality continues to be on the dip. While the citizens of Delhi choke, the blamegame between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) continues. 

Even as NASA satellites presented grave visuals of stubble burning incidents across Punjab, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on November 2 lashed out at the Union government for blaming only Delhi and Punjab on the issue of stubble burning. Now a hot political fight between Haryana and Punjab on stubble burning has erupted. Earlier, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar claimed that the incidents of stubble burning in his state are only 10% of those in Punjab. 

The Haryana Government that is being accused by AAP for also being a contributor to the rising levels of air pollution, has hit back. Speaking to Republic Media Network, the state's Agriculture Minister JP Dalal said that instead of taking any responsiblity, the Arvind Kejriwal-led party is busy escalating the blamegame despite NASA's satellite picture. 

'AAP only blames other governments'

JP Dalal said, "Everyday satellite catches incidents of stubble burning in every state. They are not taking their responsibility. They should do their work responsibly. They are diverting the attention and issue. They blame others on their failure. Delhi should not be polluted, it is the capital of country. The AAP only blames other governments, they put their failure on others. They just put allegations on others. We are doing our bit. We are giving incentives to our farmers. Kejriwal should explain to the farmers of Punjab, He should not blame us."

"Fire burning incidents are on the rise in Punjab. They only tell lies, It is their habit. Everyday satellite images come, you can easily see where there are more incidents of fire burning. He tells the data is wrong, He only blames PM Modi for everything. What I have to do I am doing from my side. He says data is wrong, what should I say now," the Haryana Agriculture Minister added. 

Meanwhile, as per reports, the state of Haryana has been able to bring down the number of farm fires incidents during 2022 substantially. In fact, for the period between September 15 and October 28, 2022, 1,701 incidents have been reported compared to 2,252 incidents for the same period last year i.e. a reduction of about 24.5%.

Image: Republic World, PTI