Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas, Hardeep Singh Puri, responded to Congress’s accusations on the social platform X, accusing the party of spreading “fabricated figures” and “fake data.” Puri asserted that Congress leaders fail to fact-check before making public statements, adding that India has seen significant economic progress and employment growth under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership.
According to Puri, employment increased by nearly 36%, adding around 170 million jobs from 2016-17 to 2022-23. He noted that the unemployment rate declined to 3.2% in 2022-23, with youth unemployment down to 10%. India, Puri emphasized, is on track to become the world’s third-largest economy, up from the 11th position in 2014.
Congress’s Legacy of Paper Leaks Highlighted
Hardeep Singh Puri also addressed allegations on exam paper leaks, claiming the Congress party’s history of such incidents. He cited leaks from AIEEE in 2007, PMT in 2008, AIIMS in 2012, and CBSE exams in 2014, arguing that Congress’s “legacy of paper leaks” misleads the public. He questioned whether Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge is deliberately ignoring these incidents.
Puri further criticized Congress’s stance on inflation and prices, pointing out that India’s inflation rate in 2023 was 1.4 percentage points below the global average. He mentioned that the Reserve Bank of India projects inflation to decline further, with core services inflation at a nine-year low.
Economic Achievements and Welfare Schemes Emphasized
Puri highlighted India’s progress in public welfare and infrastructure under the Modi government, listing achievements such as the distribution of free food grains to over 81 crore people under the PM Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana, a threefold increase in capital expenditure, and rising direct benefit transfers through the Jan Dhan-Aadhar-Mobile trinity.
He concluded by urging Congress to acknowledge India’s achievements and focus on constructive discussions. According to Puri, India’s path toward becoming a “Viksit Bharat” by 2047 demonstrates the success of the Modi government’s inclusive policies, including efforts like Ayushman Bharat and PM Awas Yojana, which have positively transformed millions of lives.
