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Arvind Kejriwal presents satellite images to show that the number of stubble burning incidents in Haryana have been much lower than those in Punjab.

Chandigarh: With less than a year to go for the Haryana assembly polls, Delhi chief minister and Aam Aadmi Party chief Arvind Kejriwal virtually sounded the poll bugle at a press conference in Chandigarh Thursday.

He said Punjab farmers were primarily responsible for Delhi’s air pollution, caused by their burning of crop residue, giving almost a clean chit to farmers in Haryana.

The national capital, where air quality index touches the severe category at this time of the year, is weighing various options to address the problem.

Kejriwal presented satellite images which showed that the number of stubble burning episodes in Haryana were much lower than those in Punjab. He also contested Punjab’s claim that stubble burning in the state was not responsible for Delhi’s pollution.

“All through the year, pollution in Delhi is not as much as it during these months. It has everything to do with crop residue burning,” said Kejriwal.

Also read: Good news for Delhi? Sharp reduction in stubble burning incidents in Punjab & Haryana

Challenge to visit mohalla clinics

The Delhi chief minister again challenged his Haryana counterpart Manohar Lal Khattar to undertake a mutual mohalla clinic (community clinics) inspection challenge.

“I offer public inspection of three hospitals/clinics of Khattar’s choice and two of my choice in Delhi while I will inspect three government clinics of my choice and two of Khattar’s choice in Haryana,” Kejriwal said.

“I am ready to come to Haryana on 12 November. Let the public decide which of the two governments had done better,” he added.

Kejriwal had Monday challenged Khattar to visit the mohalla clinics in Delhi. Khattar had accepted the challenge.

At the press conference, Kejriwal claimed his government had done phenomenal work in developing government schools and hospitals while the Khattar government had failed in every possible way.

“Bureaucrats are running the government in Haryana and Khattar does everything they tell him. Only we know how to get work done out of bureaucrats,” he said.

Also read: For Punjab’s crusading IAS officer, stubble burning is not behind Delhi’s air pollution

Infighting in Punjab unit of AAP

Answering a question on infighting in the Punjab unit of AAP, Kejriwal said it was an internal matter of the party.

However, he said the politics of AAP rebel MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira was not his kind of politics. He hinted that action, if any, would be initiated against the rebels when the time is right.

After Khaira was removed as the leader of the opposition in July, he along with half a dozen AAP MLAs had raised the banner of revolt against the Delhi team’s hold over the state unit. The rebel faction, led by Khaira, had declared itself free of the Delhi’s control.

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