Chandigarh, October 24, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Punjab on Saturday accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of attempting to defame Punjab and its farmers over stubble burning, alleging that BJP leaders were demanding legal action against farmers instead of acknowledging the state’s efforts to manage paddy residue.
Senior AAP leader and Cabinet Minister Harpal Singh Cheema and AAP Punjab Media In-charge Baltej Pannu said the government led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann had supported farmers through the provision of agricultural machinery, awareness campaigns and measures to promote scientific stubble management.
The AAP leaders said the Punjab Government had provided machinery worth more than ₹800 crore to farmers to help manage paddy residue.
Addressing the media, Cheema accused the BJP of maintaining an anti-farmer stance and criticised Delhi Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa and other BJP leaders for demanding that cases be registered against farmers over stubble burning.
“The BJP has always been an anti-farmer party. Manjinder Singh Sirsa and other BJP leaders have repeatedly demanded that cases be registered against farmers, exposing their anti-farmer mindset. Instead of supporting those who feed the nation, the BJP is trying to threaten and malign them,” Cheema said.
The Finance Minister said the Punjab Government had been procuring and distributing stubble management machinery for the past five years. He attributed the decline in stubble-burning incidents to these efforts and awareness campaigns promoting scientific alternatives.
Cheema argued that isolated incidents of stubble burning should not be used to portray the entire state as responsible for widespread pollution. He urged BJP leaders to stop making allegations against Punjab and focus on the situation in neighbouring states, including Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.
Meanwhile, Pannu accused BJP leaders of politicising the issue even before paddy harvesting had gathered pace. He said recent rainfall had delayed harvesting and questioned claims that smoke from Punjab was already reaching Delhi on a significant scale.
“Paddy harvesting has not even gathered momentum, yet BJP leaders have started creating a drama about smoke reaching Delhi from Punjab. If fires have not even started on the scale being claimed, how has the smoke bypassed Haryana and reached Delhi directly? Is there some pipeline carrying smoke from Punjab to Delhi?” Pannu said.
Pannu also cited a reported reduction of up to 80 per cent in stubble burning in Punjab, saying the progress had been acknowledged in Parliament last year.
He said the provision of machinery worth more than ₹800 crore demonstrated the state government’s commitment to addressing the problem through practical assistance rather than punitive measures.
“Despite Punjab’s significant reduction in stubble burning and the government’s sustained investment in machinery, BJP leaders continue to target our farmers. Instead of appreciating the progress made, they are choosing to pursue political propaganda against Punjab,” Pannu said.
The AAP leader also objected to what he described as attempts to brand Punjab as a state of “drug addicts” and “polluters”. He said such portrayals were unfair to the state’s residents and disregarded the contribution of Punjab’s farmers to the country’s food security.
“Punjab’s farmers work tirelessly to ensure food security for the country. They deserve support, practical solutions and respect, not political attacks and attempts to tarnish the state’s image. The BJP must stop this campaign to defame Punjab and its farmers,” Pannu said.
The AAP leaders maintained that continued investment in residue-management equipment and greater awareness among farmers were essential to tackling stubble burning. Their remarks came amid political exchanges over the contribution of agricultural fires to air pollution in Delhi and surrounding areas.
The claims regarding the reduction in stubble burning and the impact of government measures were made by the AAP leaders.
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