Can he really be IIT graduate: Pb CM on Kejriwal's claims on stubble burning

Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Sunday termed "nonsense" his Delhi counterpart Arvind Kejriwal's claim that stubble burning in Punjab was solely responsible for the high pollution levels in the national capital, and wondered can the AAP leader "really" be an IIT graduate.

Taking a dig at Kejriwal for his "preposterous" logic that the satellite pictures of stubble burning in Punjab was proof of it being the primary cause of the Delhi's severe pollution, he said even a school kid would know better.

"Can he (Kejriwal) really be an IIT graduate," asked the Punjab chief minister.

In a statement issued here, Amarinder Singh presented certain figures to rubbish Kejriwal's "ludicrous" claims and asked the Delhi chief minister to stop indulging in "political theatrics" and check facts before blaming Punjab.

The Punjab chief minister said the Air Quality Index (AQI) of Delhi remains more than 300 even during December and January every year, when there is no stubble burning in the neighbouring states.

This clearly indicates that the national capital's air quality is impacted by its own sources, which are predominantly vehicular emission, construction activities, industrial activities, power plants, burning of municipal solid waste and sweeping activities, Singh said.

Terming Kejriwal's comment as yet another attempt by the Delhi chief minister to divert public attention for his own government's "abysmal failure on all counts," Singh alleged, "Having failed to deliver on governance to the people of the national capital, the chief minister was, as usual, trying to take refuge in falsehoods and fabrications."