Arvind Kejriwal attacks Center on E20 petrol, says – ‘Country has been turned into a laboratory’
Former Chief Minister of Delhi and National Convenor of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Arvind Kejriwal has made a scathing attack on the Central Government regarding E20 petrol. He alleged that the central government is forcibly distributing ethanol-blended alcohol on people across the country.) E20 petrol is being imposed, due to which the drivers have to suffer losses. Kejriwal claimed that the mileage of vehicles is decreasing due to the use of E20 petrol and technical problems are also being seen in many vehicles. He said that through this policy the Modi government has made the entire country a “laboratory”. The AAP chief said he would write a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the issue. He has also sought suggestions from the common people, so that they can be included in the letter and placed before the government.
Arvind Kejriwal, in a video message released on social media platform ‘X’, alleged that the central government is forcibly imposing E20 petrol on people across the country. He claimed that due to this, many people’s vehicles are stalling, vehicle parts are getting damaged and mileage is also decreasing. Kejriwal said, “The entire country is an experiment lab for the Modi government. E20 petrol is being forcefully imposed on the people. There is a lot of resentment among the people about this.”
‘Questions on the government regarding ethanol-mixed petrol’
He alleged that there is widespread dissatisfaction among the public regarding 20% ethanol-blended petrol (E20). He claims that on June 30, the Central Government, through the Attorney General, had told the Supreme Court that this system is an ‘experiment’ and further policy will depend on its results. However, later after this information came to the media, the Central Government denied this claim and said that it did not make any such statement and such reports are wrong. He questioned the government that if it was really being considered an experiment, then why was 20 per cent ethanol-blended petrol implemented across the country in the first place. He also asked if the use of this fuel causes damage to a consumer’s vehicle, would the government provide compensation to the affected people in such cases.
‘If there is opposition then why don’t you take it back?’
He further said, “If people are opposing it, then why are you imposing it on them? Why are you not taking it back? It is the responsibility of the government to respect and listen to the opinion of the people who voted for you.” On the other hand, the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas had last week reacted to the misleading and baseless claims being circulated on social media regarding ethanol-blended petrol (E20). The ministry said the ethanol blending program has been designed on scientific basis and is regularly monitored. According to the Ministry, necessary technical tests and evaluations have been conducted before implementing this program and its operation is being continuously monitored.
Background of Ethanol Blending Program
The Central Government started the Ethanol Blending Program in 2003. The main objective of this initiative is to reduce dependence on crude oil imports by blending ethanol in petrol, strengthen energy security and promote environmental sustainability. The program was implemented through technical preparation, consultation with vehicle manufacturers and other stakeholders and a phased plan. As the last phase of this process, 20 percent ethanol-blended petrol (E20) was introduced from 2023, which is being gradually implemented across the country.
Government claims: Ethanol mixed fuel is safe, insurance will not be affected
The central government had clarified on June 23 that India’s ethanol blending program is safe, consumer-friendly and economically beneficial. The government also rejected fears that the use of E20 (20% ethanol-blended) petrol could affect the validity of vehicle insurance policies.
According to the report, the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas issued a statement saying that the situation regarding invalidation of insurance due to use of E20 fuel has been clarified after discussing with the concerned stakeholders. According to the ministry, such claims were investigated and found to be factually incorrect. The government says that the E20 program is being implemented in accordance with scientific standards and the misleading information spreading regarding it should not be believed.
Government enumerated the benefits of ethanol blending program
According to the government statement, ethanol blending is a globally accepted process, which has been successfully adopted in many countries including the United States, Brazil and Japan. The statement said that Brazil has been mixing high amounts of ethanol in petrol for a long time and E27 is used as the standard petrol blend there. The ethanol blending program has reduced India’s dependence on crude oil imports, saving the country more than Rs 1.4 lakh crore in foreign exchange. Additionally, increased demand for agricultural produce used in ethanol production has created additional income opportunities for farmers and strengthened the rural economy.
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