"Even When There Is No Stubble Burning...": AAP Attacks BJP Over Pollution

Chandigarh: Punjab's stubble-burning controversy has once again triggered a political war of words, with Cabinet Minister Barinder Kumar Goyal accusing the Delhi government of repeatedly blaming Punjab for the national capital's pollution while ignoring its own sources of emissions.Reacting to the allegations linking Punjab's stubble burning to Delhi's deteriorating air quality, Goyal said that blaming Punjab had become a convenient political excuse for Delhi."People in Delhi have only one thing to say - Punjab is responsible for pollution. Even when there is no stubble burning, they continue to claim that pollution is coming from Punjab," the minister said.Questioning the logic behind attributing Delhi's pollution to farm fires in Punjab, Goyal argued that the smoke from Punjab does not simply travel directly to Delhi, bypassing Haryana. He said Delhi must also acknowledge the contribution of its own vehicular emissions and industrial pollution instead of putting the entire blame on Punjab.The minister maintained that the Bhagwant Mann-led Punjab government had put comprehensive arrangements in place to tackle stubble burning and had taken several measures to encourage farmers to manage paddy residue without setting it on fire.His remarks come amid an intensifying political confrontation between the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)-ruled Punjab government and the BJP-led governments in Delhi and at the Centre over the recurring pollution crisis.Stubble burning has traditionally remained a major political flashpoint between Punjab and Delhi, particularly during the paddy harvesting season when air quality in the national capital deteriorates.While the BJP has repeatedly questioned the Punjab government's efforts to prevent farm fires, the AAP government has maintained that Delhi's pollution cannot be attributed solely to agricultural residue burning in Punjab. It has also pointed towards vehicular emissions, industrial activity and other local sources of pollution in the national capital.With pollution becoming an increasingly sensitive issue ahead of the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections, the latest exchange reflects how an environmental concern is increasingly turning into a political contest, with both sides attempting to shift responsibility and defend their respective governments.The larger question, however, remains whether governments will move beyond the blame game and work together on a long-term solution to the region's recurring air pollution crisis.