BJP has always been Anti-Punjab and trying to defame its farmers : Harpal Singh Cheema

Punjab Newsline | Chandigarh

Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema on Saturday criticised the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its leader Manjinder Singh Sirsa over their allegations concerning stubble burning in Punjab, accusing the party of being anti-farmer. He said repeated demands by Sirsa and other BJP leaders to register cases against farmers reflected their anti-farmer mindset.

Cheema asserted that Punjab's farmers were not deliberately setting fields on fire on the scale being alleged. He said the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government had been providing machinery to farmers for the past several years to manage paddy residue, helping reduce incidents of stubble burning in the state.

Finance Minister said the government had also undertaken awareness campaigns to encourage farmers to adopt alternatives to burning crop residue. He added that isolated incidents should not be used to portray the entire state as responsible for the pollution problem.

Advising Sirsa against making what he described as baseless allegations against Punjab, Cheema urged BJP leaders to focus on the situation in BJP-ruled states bordering Delhi, including Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.

Baltej Pannu Accuses BJP of Cheap Politics

AAP Punjab media in-charge Baltej Pannu also criticised BJP leaders, accusing them of indulging in political rhetoric over stubble burning even before the paddy harvesting season had gained momentum.

Pannu said recent rainfall had delayed harvesting in Punjab and that the process had yet to pick up pace. Despite this, he alleged, leaders such as Sirsa had already begun creating a narrative about smoke from Punjab reaching Delhi.

Taking a dig at the BJP, Pannu questioned how smoke could be reaching the national capital from Punjab when, according to him, large-scale stubble burning had not yet begun in the state. He sarcastically asked whether the smoke had travelled directly from Haryana to Delhi through a pipeline.

AAP Cites Reduction in Stubble Burning

Pannu further claimed that figures presented in Parliament had acknowledged an approximately 80 per cent reduction in stubble-burning incidents in Punjab last year. He said the state government had provided farmers with machinery worth more than ₹800 crore to facilitate paddy residue management this year.

He accused BJP leaders of questioning official figures despite the data being discussed in Parliament and maintained that Punjab's efforts to address stubble burning should be recognised.

AAP Warns Against Defaming Punjab and Its Farmers

Pannu urged BJP leaders to stop portraying Punjab as a state responsible for drug abuse or pollution, saying such allegations unfairly tarnished the state's image.

He emphasised that Punjab's farmers make a significant contribution to the country's food security and described the state as the nation's “food bowl.” He said farmers who feed millions across the country deserved support and constructive solutions rather than political accusations.

AAP leaders maintained that machinery support, awareness campaigns and effective crop residue management were essential to tackling stubble burning, while accusing the BJP of politicising the issue instead of acknowledging Punjab's efforts.