The Union Minister for Urban Affairs and Civil Aviation Minister, Hardeep Singh Puri, was in conversation with ThePrint’s Editor-in-Chief Shekhar Gupta at ‘Off The Cuff’ in New Delhi. Puri dwelled on a range of governance, policy and political issues in a free-wheeling and candid chat. From assuring the audience that no heritage building in the national capital would be demolished under the Modi government’s ambitious central vista’s redevelopment project to opening up about how privatising Air India is the only option available with the government, Puri gave the audience insight into a range of complex governance issues. The Union Minister also spoke on the raging protests across the country on the Citizenship Amendment Act, and said that the Act does not mean that persecuted Muslims from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan would no longer be welcome in India.
Off The Cuff with Hardeep Singh Puri
From left: Shekhar Gupta, editor-in-chief, ThePrint; Hardeep Singh Puri, Union Minister for Housing, Urban Affairs & Civil Aviation
Off The Cuff with Hardeep Singh Puri
From left: Anand Stanley president & MD, Airbus India & South Asia; Krittivas Mukherjee, head of public affairs and communications, Airbus India; Omkar Bhattacharya, chief revenue head, ThePrint; Hardeep Singh Puri
Off The Cuff with Hardeep Singh Puri
From left: Shekhar Gupta; Ragini Chopra, group head – corporate affairs, InterGlobe Enterprises; Anand Stanley
Off The Cuff with Hardeep Singh Puri
From left: Onkar Singh Kanwar, chairman and managing director, Apollo Tyres; Sanjiv Sen, senior advocate, Supreme Court of India
Off The Cuff with Hardeep Singh Puri
“The government of India is both the owner and the regulator of Air India, and it has been supporting an airline that has been sinking for a while. If Vijay Mallya and Naresh Goyal had the same kind of support…” asked Y.P. Rajesh, managing editor, ThePrint.
Off The Cuff with Hardeep Singh Puri
“No heritage building will be pulled down for Delhi’s Central Vista makeover,” said the union minister. Full report
Off The Cuff with Hardeep Singh Puri
“Frequent changes and indecision of the government bodies is creating so much of a fuss that our unit is heading towards bankruptcy. In 2006, we were given sanctions to build a hotel, but now it is stuck with the airport authority because of rules on the height,” said Dr Ratiranjan Mandal, CEO, Srei Infrastructure Finance Limited
Off The Cuff with Hardeep Singh Puri
“If persecuted Ahmadiyas or Shias seek refuge in India, we will vet the cases separately,” said Puri. Full report
Off The Cuff with Hardeep Singh Puri
“Various government offices are scattered in convenient buildings similarly various tribunals, many in Delhi, are in different and inconvenient locations which is very difficult for lawyers. Can something be consolidated for lawyers and it will also help litigants?”asked Atul Dua, a lawyer.
Off The Cuff with Hardeep Singh Puri
Puri said the Narendra Modi government was willing to have discussions. “Democracy is based on difference in opinions, respecting diversity and respecting dissent but at what point it metamorphosed into people beating up people and burning vehicles,” he asked.
Off The Cuff with Hardeep Singh Puri
Hardeep Singh Puri agreed to pose for a picture with ThePrint team.
Off The Cuff with Hardeep Singh Puri
Hardeep Singh Puri autographs his book Delusional Politics for Anand Stanley.
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