Panaji, Aug 24 (PTI) AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Monday alleged E20 or ethanol-blended petrol has been damaging engines of vehicles and affecting their mileage, citing “public views” on the matter.
He also linked the E20 policy to the rise in sugar prices, alleging that sugarcane equivalent to nearly 25 lakh tonnes of sugar had been diverted for ethanol production.
For its part, the government had already rejected the Opposition’s claims and blamed the industry for jacking up sugar prices despite the country having sufficient stock to meet domestic demand.
On a two-day tour of Goa, Kejriwal will participate in a town hall on Tuesday to raise concerns over the use of E20 petrol.
The AAP, which has two MLAs in the 40-member Goa assembly, has announced a campaign against the “forced implementation” of E20 (ethanol-blended) fuel in the coastal state, which will go to polls in 2027.
Addressing a press conference in Panaji, Kejriwal claimed he had received thousands of messages and comments from people after releasing a video seeking public views on the E20 issue.
“Because of this, people’s engines are getting damaged, fuel systems are being affected, and people are seeing a substantial drop in mileage,” he alleged.
Kejriwal had released a video asking them to share their experiences with using E20 petrol.
“We received thousands of WhatsApp messages and thousands of comments. People are ready to join us,” the former Delhi chief minister said.
The AAP leader also linked the ethanol blending policy to the spike in sugar prices, alleging that sugarcane equivalent to nearly 25 lakh tonnes of sugar had been diverted for ethanol production.
He claimed that sugar prices had increased from around Rs 45 per kg on July 31 to more than Rs 70 per kg, representing an increase of about Rs 25 per kg in a month.
“There may be slight variations in different places, but now it has crossed Rs 70 per kg. In just one month, sugar prices have increased by Rs 25 per kg,” Kejriwal said.
He alleged that the government should have anticipated a sugar crunch after diverting sugarcane for ethanol production.
“When they started diverting sugarcane for ethanol, their experts should at least have calculated that if so much sugarcane is being diverted for ethanol production, there will be a corresponding shortage of sugar. Where will the sugar come from?” he asked.
Kejriwal also claimed that the E20 policy had failed to deliver the projected foreign exchange savings from reducing petrol consumption through ethanol blending.
“Now, with that foreign exchange, we are importing sugar and meals. So, whatever was supposedly saved here, there has been no saving of foreign exchange,” he alleged.
The AAP leader further alleged that people across the country were suffering because of what he termed “adulterated petrol”.
In a sharp swipe at the Union government, he alleged, “I don’t think there has ever been a more foolish and stupid government in the last 75 years than this one”.
The Centre introduced E20, a blend of 20 per cent ethanol and 80 per cent petrol, as part of efforts to reduce vehicular emissions and cut dependence on crude oil imports. After a phased rollout, E20 became the only petrol variant available at fuel pumps in the country from April 2026.
The move has triggered concerns among some vehicle owners, with motorists reporting reduced engine performance and apprehensions about damage to fuel lines and other components. Owners of older vehicles, many of which may not have been designed for high ethanol blends, have been seeking availability of lower blends such as E10.
Industry executives had claimed that E20 petrol has undergone rigorous scientific testing, is safe for both new and older vehicles, and is critical for reducing India’s dependence on imported crude oil. PTI RPS NSK
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