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‘7 lakh watched Kejriwal's E20 town hall live’: AAP contrasts it with PM Modi's YouTube numbers
The Aam Aadmi Party boasts over 7 lakh viewers at their E20 town hall, challenging Prime Minister Modi's meagre 3,324.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Saturday claimed that its ‘National Town Hall Against E20’, addressed by party national convenor Arvind Kejriwal, attracted over 7 lakh concurrent viewers on the party's official YouTube channel, describing it as a sign of growing public interest in the debate over ethanol-blended petrol.
According to an AAP press release, around 7,00,262 people watched the event live on the party's YouTube channel during the town hall held at Delhi's Constitution Club. The party also claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's official YouTube channel showed about 3,324 concurrent viewers during a live programme at the same time, with comparisons between the two broadcasts circulating widely on social media.
The party described the turnout as evidence of public concern over the Centre's E20 policy and said the event provided a platform for mechanics, professors, delivery riders and vehicle owners to discuss issues such as fuel efficiency, maintenance costs and the impact of E20 on older vehicles.
Kejriwal reiterates three demands
During the townhall, Kejriwal reiterated three demands to the Centre — that petrol pumps should offer consumers a choice between pure petrol and E20; that E20 be priced lower than pure petrol; and that petrol prices should be reduced to below ₹84 per litre.
The AAP chief also alleged that the Centre was promoting E20 without adequately addressing concerns raised by consumers and called for greater public discussion on the policy. According to the party, participants at the town hall raised issues including reduced mileage, engine-related concerns, higher servicing costs and the suitability of E20 for older vehicles.
The party termed the programme the "world's largest digital rally" and said the participation reflected growing public engagement with the issue. It also claimed that the comparison of the two YouTube live streams had become a major talking point on social media, with supporters describing it as a reflection of changing public sentiment, while critics attributed the difference to the nature of the respective programmes.
These claims were made by the AAP in its press release and have not been independently verified.
