AAP Punjab Chief Aman Arora Slams BJP’s Manjinder Sirsa for ‘Defaming Punjab Farmers’ Over Delhi Pollution

By A Staff Reporter

Chandigarh: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Punjab President Aman Arora on Thursday strongly criticised Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa for blaming stubble burning in Punjab for the spike in Delhi’s air pollution levels following Diwali celebrations.

Arora accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of attempting to vilify Punjab and its farmers, calling Sirsa’s statement a reflection of the party’s bias. “Sirsa has accused Punjab’s farmers of causing pollution in Delhi. This shows the BJP’s hatred towards Punjab and its farmers,” he said at a press briefing.

Citing data from the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), Arora argued that stubble burning incidents in Punjab have significantly declined in recent years. “On October 21, in 2021, there were 597 farm fire incidents; in 2022, there were 393; in 2023, there were 146; in 2024, there were 65; and this year, only 62 have been reported,” he said, presenting the figures to counter Sirsa’s claims.

Arora urged BJP leaders to “stop defaming Punjab and its farmers” and focus instead on addressing Delhi’s own sources of pollution, including vehicle emissions, construction dust, and industrial waste.