Delhi CM Accuses Kejriwal of Betraying Punjab Farmers Over Stubble Burning

New Delhi, October 6 (Daily Kiran) : Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta has accused Arvind Kejriwal, the national convener of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), of betraying farmers in Punjab. During a recent statement, she held him responsible for not providing solutions to the stubble burning issue, which exacerbates air pollution in North India during the winter months.

Gupta shared a video of stubble burning in Tarn Taran, Punjab, on her official Facebook account. She reminded Kejriwal of his promise to address this pressing issue affecting the National Capital Region (NCR). The Chief Minister criticized him for lacking the will and determination to find a collective solution for farmers, despite the central government providing resources.

In her message on social media platform X, Gupta recalled Kejriwal’s past commitment: “He said, give me a year, and I will stop stubble burning in Punjab.” She pointed out that years have passed, yet farmers are still waiting for assistance. Instead of alleviating their burden, the AAP government has left them to fend for themselves.

Gupta noted that stubble burning has resumed in Tarn Taran. She highlighted that despite the central government’s financial support, machinery provision, and subsidy offers, the AAP government, led by Bhagwant Mann and Kejriwal, has failed to implement effective ground-level arrangements.

Questioning the government’s intentions, Gupta stated that while resources are available, the necessary commitment and accountability have been lacking. “The people of Delhi have rejected Arvind Kejriwal. Is he now taking out his frustration on the citizens of Delhi due to his electoral defeat?” she asked.

Emphasizing efforts to reduce air pollution in the NCR, Gupta mentioned that her administration is working tirelessly to implement new ground-level solutions to improve air quality. She accused the AAP government of revealing its true face through the ongoing stubble burning crisis in Punjab, citing a lack of preparation and real solutions, only false promises and betrayal of farmers.

Earlier, the Air Quality Management Commission (CAQM) announced the deployment of aerial squads to monitor stubble burning in 18 districts of Punjab. This initiative, structured in phases from October 1 to November 30, aims to ensure continuous ground-level monitoring during the 2026 rice harvesting season.

The aerial squads will cover major rice-producing districts, including Sangrur, Tarn Taran, Firozpur, Muktasar, Bathinda, Amritsar, Moga, Mansa, Fazilka, Patiala, Ludhiana, Kapurthala, Faridkot, Barnala, Malerkotla, Gurdaspur, Jalandhar, and Fatehgarh Sahib. These teams will coordinate with farmers, stubble protection forces, district officials, state government nodal officers, and relevant state pollution control board officials.