Farmers Movement Archive

Delhi pollution: AAP blames Punjab farmers to hide its failures, says Congress

The Congress party on Monday accused the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)-led Delhi government of blaming farmers in Punjab to hide its failures to tackle the rising air pollution in the national capital. The Congress' attack comes in the context of the Supreme Court pulling up the Delhi government over its affidavit regarding air pollution in Delhi.Taking to Twitter, the Punjab unit of the Congress party said on Monday that the Arvind Kejriwal government stood “naked in public” as the Supreme Court took off its “anti-farmer robes”. “AAP has so long blamed farmers of Punjab to hide its failures in Delhi but today the apex court discredited these claims, slamming the state govt,” the Congress further said.Also Read| Smog chokes Capital: Supreme Court pulls up Delhi govt, Centre, NCR statesEarlier in the day, the Supreme Court hit out at the Delhi government over its affidavit by saying that the document was all about farmer bashing and how the entire cause of pollution in the city is stubble burning. Pointing out that the Kejriwal government is passing the buck to the municipal commissioner, the top court said, "This kind of lame excuse will force us to hold an audit of the revenue you are earning and spending on popularity slogans."The Delhi Govt stands naked in public today as Supreme Court takes off its anti-farmers' robes.@AamAadmiParty has so long blamed farmers of Punjab to hide its failures in Delhi but today the apex court discredited these claims, slamming the state govt.#KejriwalAgainstFarmers https://t.co/qtUtXzYsxuBoth the Congress and the AAP have been at loggerheads over several issues, including employment and debt waiver for farmers, ahead of the assembly elections in Punjab. Two weeks ago, AAP's national convener and Delhi chief minister Kejriwal promised a dedicated farm policy to boost the state's agriculture sector.The Delhi government, on many occasions, has blamed stubble burning from neighbouring states of Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh as a major reason for the worsening air quality in the national capital. Previously, Delhi environment minister Gopal Rai urged the Centre to hold a joint meeting of Delhi and neighbouring states on the issue of stubble burning.Hindustan Times reported last week that farm fires in the second week of November have been at a record high.Meanwhile, farmers in Punjab have alleged that the Congress government has done nothing to provide machinery and compensation for controlling stubble burning in the state.“We are helpless. The government has not provided us with compensation of ₹7,000 and machinery needed to control stubble burning. If we would not burn the stubble, our next crop will be late,” Gopi, a farmer from Punjab, told news agency ANI.Another farmer told the news agency that the government has done nothing on ground and all promises only exist on paper.

Hindustan Times

15-11-2021

Chandigarh