India Faring Better Than the West on Fuel Prices, Says Hardeep Puri at News18 Delhi Town Hall

Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri on Monday denied that the government is facing criticism over rising fuel prices and took a veiled dig at the opposition parties for spreading “false narrative” on inflation. Speaking at CNN-News18’s Delhi Town Hall, Puri added that India was “faring better” than the Western world and immediate neighbours on fuel prices.

“There is a false narrative being propagated on inflation. We have to see what is happening globally. India faring better than Western countries. Inflation is under control in India,” he said.

The Union Minister instead questioned high fuel prices in opposition-ruled states. “Price rise is evident in opposition-ruled states. BJP-ruled states are performing better than opposition-ruled states as VAT has been reduced. We are keeping fuel prices low despite high imports,” he said.

Centred around the theme ‘Exploring India’s Path to 2024 Elections’, the Town Hall facilitated discussions with leaders like Nitin Gadkari (Minister of Road Transport & Highways), Hardeep Singh Puri (Union Minister of Housing & Urban Affairs & Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas), Rajeev Chandrasekhar (Minister of State for Electronics & Information Technology), Shashi Tharoor, (Member of Parliament, Indian National Congress), Manish Tewari (Former Cabinet Minister), Sudhanshu Trivedi (Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha, BJP) and Sushmita Devi (Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha, AITC).

The primary focus of the event was on understanding how political parties plan to captivate the attention of the voters. The discussions revolved around various topics such as policies, manifestos, and strategies employed by each party.

After its successful run with four editions in 2022, ‘CNN-News18 Town Hall’ has become a prominent platform for policy makers, opinion leaders and prominent voices in India. CNN-News18’s commitment to delivering unbiased news and facilitating informed conversations makes this event an invaluable opportunity for political leaders and viewers alike.