JHANSI: UP sports minister Upendra Tiwari on Thursday set off a row by stating that 95% people do not require petrol in India, though he later defended himself by claiming that he had been quoted out of context.
Answering queries on rising inflation and fuel prices at a press conference in Orai, the minister said, “Opposition has no valid allegations against our government. If you compare per capita income before the Modi and Yogi governments, you will find that it has more than doubled. There are only a handful of people in society who move on four-wheelers and need petrol; 95% have no requirement of it.
However, talking to TOI later, Tiwari said: “My statement has been twisted by a section of media. I wanted to say that in rural areas, people are more dependent on diesel vehicles and, therefore, low requirement of petrol.”