Aam Aadmi Party national convener Arvind Kejriwal announced a nationwide campaign against the Centre’s E20 ethanol-blended petrol policy. He revealed plans to organize a National Town Hall during the weekend to gather public support. Kejriwal said people from Delhi-NCR could attend the event physically, while participants from other states could join online. He also shared a registration number for citizens willing to participate in the discussions. According to Kejriwal, experts, affected vehicle owners, and members of the public will discuss concerns surrounding E20 fuel. He further claimed that his party’s online petition had already collected more than two lakh responses. Kejriwal said he would personally submit these petitions to Prime Minister Narendra Modi next week. He urged the Centre to address public concerns before the issue develops into another nationwide protest.
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Opposition Intensifies Pressure Over Ethanol-Blended Petrol
Kejriwal linked the E20 campaign with recent youth-led protests that resulted in former education minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation. He argued that public participation could once again influence government decisions on important national issues. The Congress also increased pressure on the Centre by demanding the withdrawal of the ethanol policy. Congress spokesperson Kuldeep Singh Rathore alleged that authorities introduced the policy without sufficient scientific evidence. He claimed millions of vehicle owners might face unnecessary financial burdens because of possible engine-related concerns. Meanwhile, the Narendra Modi government continued defending the ethanol-blended fuel programme. Officials maintained that E20 does not damage vehicle engines, although they acknowledged a slight reduction in fuel efficiency. The government also argued that ethanol blending reduces crude oil imports, lowers emissions, and strengthens farmers’ incomes through increased demand for agricultural produce.
Social media witnessed a surge of memes targeting Union Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari after recent student protests concluded. Many users circulated posts predicting that the E20 issue could become the next major public movement. Several social media pages using the name E20 Janta Party attracted thousands of followers within days. The organizers clarified that they do not represent any political party and instead function as an independent citizens’ movement. They demanded greater transparency regarding the E20 policy and called for wider public discussion. Activist Tehseen Poonawalla and another organization, Team Bharat, also organized demonstrations at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar. Protesters demanded continued availability of E10 fuel, lower prices for pure petrol, and discounted rates for E20 fuel. Critics continued highlighting concerns about fuel efficiency and possible damage to older vehicles.
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Gadkari Secures Court Permission for Legal Action
Union Minister Nitin Gadkari prepared a legal response against online campaigns targeting him and his family. The Bombay High Court granted permission allowing Gadkari to file civil suits against Meta, X Corp, Google, and other social media platforms. Gadkari accused several online accounts of spreading defamatory content and AI-generated deepfake videos linking him with alleged profiteering from the E20 programme. Justice Abhay Ahuja allowed the minister to seek temporary injunctions and interim relief against such content. Earlier, BJP social media cell convener Shishir Arun Tripathi filed a complaint in Nagpur regarding misleading posts about Gadkari and ethanol-blended fuel. Police subsequently registered an FIR in the matter. Gadkari argued that misleading online content could confuse citizens and disturb public peace through misinformation surrounding the government’s ethanol policy.
The Centre continued defending the Ethanol Blended Petrol Programme, which launched in 2014 to reduce India’s dependence on imported crude oil. Authorities accelerated ethanol blending after 2021 and achieved the E20 target in 2025, five years earlier than originally planned. The government maintained that ethanol blending supports environmental goals while creating additional income opportunities for farmers producing sugarcane, maize, and rice. Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri and Gadkari repeatedly rejected claims linking E20 with widespread vehicle damage. Gadkari also stated that consumers can still purchase 100 percent petrol, although it costs significantly more than E20 fuel. He emphasized that petroleum-related decisions primarily fall under the Petroleum Ministry’s jurisdiction. Despite government assurances, critics continued demanding independent scientific studies before wider implementation of ethanol-blended petrol across the country.
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