AAP accuses BJP of targeting Punjab farmers over Delhi pollution, rejects Mishra's claims

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of using Punjab's farmers as scapegoats for Delhi's pollution crisis, with party media in-charge Baltej Pannu dismissing allegations of a sudden surge in stubble burning on Diwali as baseless.

Pannu said BJP leaders had begun blaming Punjab for Delhi's deteriorating air quality even before the paddy harvesting season started. He alleged that the party was attempting to divert attention from its own administrative shortcomings, particularly the severe pollution recorded in the national capital during Diwali.

"To cover up the gas chamber-like conditions in Delhi during Diwali and their own administrative failures, BJP leaders are making baseless allegations every day," Pannu said.

He also challenged Delhi minister Kapil Mishra's claim that around 1,200 stubble-burning incidents had taken place in Punjab overnight. Describing the allegation as "completely baseless", Pannu said Mishra should seek an explanation from his own party colleague and Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa, who had repeatedly claimed that smoke from Punjab was reaching the national capital.

BJP seeks probe into sudden rise in farm fires

Mishra had alleged that the number of stubble-burning incidents in Punjab rose sharply on Diwali, November 8, after remaining between 100 and 125 a day from November 5 to 7.

Citing satellite data, the Delhi minister claimed that nearly 1,200 locations in Punjab had reported farm fires on Diwali evening, a more than tenfold increase from the previous day. He also said he had received calls from farmers who alleged that unidentified people had entered their fields and set crop residue on fire while they were celebrating the festival with their families.

Mishra described the reported increase as suspicious and called for an investigation. He urged Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann to register FIRs, identify those responsible and ensure their arrest. He also suggested that investigators examine phone records of AAP legislators and political functionaries in the affected areas, as well as people who had travelled from Delhi to Punjab.

However, official figures cited in separate reports put the number of fresh farm-fire incidents recorded in Punjab on Diwali at 1,152, taking the seasonal tally to 4,459. The figure was the highest single-day increase recorded in the state this season.

AAP cites stubble-burning reduction figures

Countering the BJP's allegations, Pannu claimed Punjab had achieved nearly 90% control over stubble-burning incidents this year, following an 80% reduction recorded last year.

He said the figures were supported by information provided by the Central government in its reply to Parliament and maintained that the BJP was ignoring the state's efforts to curb the practice.

"Punjab has achieved nearly 90% control over incidents of stubble burning this year, while 80% reduction was recorded last year. Evidence of this is available in the central government's reply recorded in the official proceedings of Parliament," he said.

The AAP leader also questioned the BJP's repeated criticism of Punjab, pointing to Sirsa's earlier statements about smoke from the state contributing to Delhi's pollution. Sirsa had cited rising farm-fire numbers in Punjab, including 584 incidents reported on November 3, and questioned the Mann government's claims of a significant reduction in stubble burning.

The exchange has intensified the political dispute between the AAP government in Punjab and the BJP-led administration in Delhi, with both sides accusing each other of failing to address the region's worsening air pollution.