Arvind Kejriwal a peculiar person with views on everything without understanding: Capt Amarinder Singh

CHANDIGARH: Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Thursday lashed out at his Delhi counterpart Arvind Kejriwal claiming that the latter has views on everything without understanding the situation. 

"Mr Kejriwal is a peculiar person who has views on everything without understanding the situation. There is 20 million ton of paddy straw, where do I ask farmers to store? So Mr. Kejriwal doesn't understand this problem," he said.

His statement comes hours after Kejriwal said enough is not being done by neighbouring states to stop crop burning which is resulting in rising level of pollution. 

"Setting politics aside, Centre, Haryana, Punjab and Delhi should come together to find a solution to stubble burning which causes high pollution level during this time every year. I have been seeking a meeting with both Haryana and Punjab chief ministers since yesterday, but I have not received any response," Kejriwal said.

Kejriwal had suggested that the Punjab and Haryana government should evolve a technology and give financial assistance to stop stubble burning. "If health cost is much on illness, then we may make some contributions because it is the responsibility of all," he added.

Stating that he knows the extent of the problem, the Punjab CM said he has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi again, seeking compensation for farmers for crop resident management to check the dangerous trend of stubble burning.

Responding to Kejriwal's request for a meeting, he said that he has urged the PM to hold a meeting of all CMs of the affected states. "Just me meeting the Delhi CM won't resolves anything: the Punjab CM said.

He has also urged the Prime Minister to convene a meeting of Chief Ministers of the affected States along with the Union Ministers for Agriculture, Food and Environment on the issue.

The two Chief Ministers have been conversing on Twitter over crop burning where Kejriwal had asked Amarinder to meet to find a solution to the problem but the latter said the issue can only be solved by the Central Government. "My office continuously trying to take time from CMs of Punjab n Haryana for me to meet the two CMs. Its an emergency(sic)," Kejriwal tweeted hours after he sent a letter to Captain Amarinder Singh and Manohar Lal Khattar.

The Punjab Chief Minister, who had earlier refused to penalise farmers for stubble burning, said that he shared Kejriwal`s concern but the state was helpless. "Share your concern over stubble burning and pollution @ArvindKejriwal, Centre alone can solve the problem given its national implications(sic)," he tweeted.