Like every year, the national capital Delhi is once again in the grip of severe air pollution. Along with this, a round of political debates and accusations regarding the sources of this pollution has also begun. However, this year the debate has taken a new turn. New data from Punjab shows an unprecedented decline in stubble burning incidents, which has raised a big question at the center of this entire discussion: If so little stubble is being burned in Punjab, then why are Punjab’s farmers and their government being put in the dock for Delhi’s pollution?

First, it’s important to look at the data that is giving this debate a new direction. The comparative numbers of stubble burning incidents between September 15 and October 21 tell a significant story. Where 3,114 incidents were recorded during the same period in 2022, this dropped to 1,764 in 2023, 1,510 in 2024, and this year in 2025, this figure has surprisingly fallen to just 415. This figure is clear proof of a massive decline of over 75% this season, which is being seen as a big step toward the Punjab government’s efforts and farmers’ cooperation.

Despite this significant progress, statements coming from Delhi’s political corridors paint a different picture. Leaders like Delhi’s Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa have directly blamed Punjab’s farmers for Delhi’s pollution. These accusations are happening when Delhi itself tops the list of the world’s most polluted cities. This situation creates a clear contradiction, where on one hand stubble burning incidents have decreased significantly, while on the other hand Delhi’s pollution crisis shows no signs of improving.

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This contradiction raises several logical questions. The first and most important question is for the Delhi government and those leaders who are pointing fingers at Punjab: If stubble burning in Punjab has reduced by more than 75%, then what are the main factors poisoning Delhi’s air? Isn’t blaming only Punjab for Delhi’s pollution ignoring Delhi’s own internal pollution sources—such as vehicle emissions, industrial pollution, and construction site dust?

Another technical and logical question arises from comparing Air Quality Index (AQI) readings. According to reports, Punjab’s current AQI is much better than Delhi’s (up to about 5 times better). Here the question becomes: If Delhi’s suffocating smog is coming from Punjab, then how is Punjab’s own air so clean? This air pattern is logically difficult to explain—how polluted air is skipping Punjab and directly affecting Delhi. This inconsistency raises doubts about the claim that Punjab’s fields are the main cause of Delhi’s crisis.

This issue is no longer just between the Aam Aadmi Party (which is in power in both Punjab and Delhi) and BJP, but it has become a puzzle within the BJP itself. When BJP leaders like Mr. Sirsa publicly blame Punjab’s farmers for Delhi’s pollution, it puts the BJP’s Punjab unit in a difficult position. They need to clarify where they stand on this issue.

Now the question should be directly asked to senior Punjab BJP leaders—Sunil Jakhar, Ravneet Bittu, and Ashwini Sharma. Do they agree with this campaign being run against Punjab’s farmers by their own party leaders in Delhi? Do they believe that despite a 75% decline, Punjab’s farmers are mainly responsible for Delhi’s pollution? Or will they stand with their state’s farmers and acknowledge the data that shows the significant improvement made by Punjab?

Finally, it is clear that the data points to a major positive change on the stubble management front in Punjab. Given this ground reality, it has become necessary to rise above political rhetoric to find a solution to Delhi’s pollution crisis. Instead of blaming Punjab’s farmers and government, perhaps the time has come for Delhi’s leaders and the central government to focus more seriously on Delhi’s own internal pollution problems and acknowledge the efforts of those farmers who have significantly reduced stubble burning this year.