New Delhi: The controversy in the country on the issue of mixing ethanol in petrol has now intensified. After the investigation report conducted by Karnataka government came out, Congress has cornered the central government. Congress MP Rahul Gandhi made a scathing attack on this matter on social media and directly declared E20 as 420.
Rahul Gandhi's claim on ex
Rahul Gandhi, while posting on X, said that the government claims that only 20 percent ethanol is being mixed in petrol, but the reality turned out to be different. When samples taken from 7 districts of Karnataka were tested in a recognized lab, shocking results emerged. He said that in 11 out of 14 samples the amount of ethanol was found to be more than 20 percent. Ethanol was found up to 31.2 percent in a sample of IOCL and 30.5 percent in HPCL.
E20 becomes 420 – Petrol stolen from public vehicles! Modi government says – Petrol contains 20% ethanol. The Karnataka government collected petrol samples from 7 districts and got them tested in a recognized lab. Look at the result – more than 20% ethanol in 11 out of 14 samples – 31.2% in IOCL, 30.5% in HPCL – IOCL, HPCL, BPCL, Nayara, Shell – be it government or private – all above the limit – and the companies' own labs have not even written the quantity of ethanol in the report, which means you are paying for expensive petrol, ethanol is being filled in the tank. Whose loss? Yours. Your car is not made to digest that much ethanol – meaning, decreasing mileage, frequent mechanic visits. Waste of a car taken as a hobby. And it is not even written on the pump what is being put into the tank – no option to choose. Modi ji, tell me – what is being filled in the country's tank? How much ethanol is actually in petrol? When will action be taken against companies adulterating more than 20%? And the challenge of debate still stands. This will also add to the issue – who is actually benefiting from your policies?
—Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) November 7, 2026
According to Rahul, whether it was a government or private company, all were found to be above the prescribed limit. The biggest thing is that the companies' own labs did not mention the quantity of ethanol in the report.
Question asked to Prime Minister Modi
He said that the common man is paying full price for expensive petrol, but he is getting less petrol and more ethanol. Vehicles which were not designed to handle this much ethanol, their mileage is decreasing, engine problems are occurring and people's vehicles are getting ruined due to frequent breakdowns. Rahul raised the question that it is not even written on the petrol pump as to what is being put in the tank, so where is the public left with the chance to choose? He asked the Prime Minister when action would be taken against the companies involved in adulteration.
Pawan Kheda also attacked
Congress spokesperson Pawan Kheda also targeted the government. He said that the public pays for 80 percent petrol and 20 percent ethanol, but gets less than 70 percent petrol and more than 30 percent ethanol. That means at least 10 percent less petrol is being available. He sarcastically said, first vote thief, then donation thief and now petrol thief, is this the government or a group of pickpockets?
What came out in Karnataka's report?
The Karnataka government had taken a total of 63 samples from different companies across the state. First, these samples were sent to the labs of the companies themselves, from where no clear answer was received regarding the correct quantity of ethanol. In case of doubt, samples were sent to a private recognized lab. During investigation, 26.5 percent ethanol was found in BPCL, 26.1 percent in Naira and 25.5 percent in Shell.
The Karnataka government estimates that if there is a 10 percent decline in mileage due to over-blending, the country will suffer a loss of about Rs 62 thousand crore every year. Apart from this, people have to bear an additional burden of Rs 39 thousand crores annually on vehicle servicing and faults.