Apologise for ‘defaming’ farmers: SAD to Kejriwal

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 15

The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) today asked Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convener and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to apologise for launching a defamation campaign against farmers by holding them responsible for Delhi’s pollution.

The SAD said Kejriwal’s campaign cost farmers dear as they were penalised and had to face cases with the Congress government following Kejriwal’s lead, instead of providing any alternative to reduce stubble burning.

“This twin attack on the innocent farmers by Kejriwal and Congress government in the state was aimed at painting our farmers as villains when the truth is completely different,” said SAD spokesman Daljit Singh Cheema.

In a statement here, he said after it had become clear that most of the air pollution in Delhi was caused by the industrial and transport sector and that stubble burning only contributed 4-10 per cent to it, Kejriwal owed an apology to the farmers of the state. Cheema said Kejriwal had been thoroughly exposed by the Supreme Court today for lies about farmers being responsible for Delhi’s air pollution. He said the apex court had also rightly pointed out politics being played on the issue of pollution by Kejriwal.

“The Delhi Government could not enumerate the steps it had taken to improve the quality of air,” the SAD spokesman said.