Bhagwant Mann corners BJP for defaming Punjab on Delhi pollution
Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has accused the BJP of tarnishing Punjab's image under the guise of Delhi's pollution, raising questions over the role of Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and the central government.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has sharpened his political attacks against the Bharatiya Janata Party over the issue of deteriorating air quality in Delhi. He alleged that national parties are conspiring to defame the state by linking Delhi's smoke to stubble burning inside Punjab.
Interacting with journalists in Chandigarh, the Chief Minister questioned why no one is holding Haryana accountable, located between Punjab and the national capital, where paddy is cultivated on a large scale. He said that paddy is also grown in areas like Ghaziabad in Uttar Pradesh and Faridabad in Haryana near Delhi, so why is only Punjab being targeted?
Citing the direction of the wind, Bhagwant Mann stated that even if a strong gale of 100 kilometers per hour blows from the north-west, the dust and smoke raised from here would take at least three days to reach Delhi. He clarified that winds generally do not flow in this direction, so blaming Punjab is scientifically wrong as well.
Sarcastic about the statements by Pakistani Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif holding Indian Punjab's stubble responsible for Lahore's smog, Mann asked if our smoke is reaching across the border too. He reminded that paddy farming is also done in the Lahore region.
Taking aim at BJP leader Manjinder Singh Sirsa, the Chief Minister said that crop harvesting had not even begun in the state when he started making noise about Punjab's smoke. He emphasized that this issue is not of just one state but of the entire northern India, to resolve which Prime Minister Narendra Modi should convene a joint meeting of all concerned states.
Speaking about paddy procurement, the Chief Minister said that Punjab has recorded a bumper yield this time. The state government has fulfilled the target of 180 lakh metric tonnes and this procurement is expected to cross 200 lakh metric tonnes. He assured that every single grain of the farmers' crop will be purchased.
Key developments
- Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann slammed the BJP for targeting Punjab over the pollution issue.
- Raised questions on the central government's silence by citing paddy farming in Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh.
- Dismissed the allegations made by Pakistani Punjab's Chief Minister regarding Lahore pollution as illogical.
- Urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to call a joint meeting of Chief Ministers of all northern states.
