Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor Arvind Kejriwal has announced a march to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s residence on August 4, intensifying the party’s campaign against E20 petrol.
Kejriwal said he would lead the protest at noon along with people who are willing to raise concerns over the government’s ethanol-blending policy. He also declared that the protesters were not afraid of police action, batons or jail, as the AAP seeks to put pressure on the Centre over the availability and use of E20 fuel.
The E20 controversy centres on petrol containing up to 20 per cent ethanol. Kejriwal and the AAP have been demanding that consumers should have the choice between E20 and lower-ethanol or pure petrol, particularly for vehicles that may not be compatible with higher ethanol blends.
The former Delhi Chief Minister has repeatedly raised concerns about possible reductions in fuel efficiency and the impact of E20 on older vehicles. He has also questioned automobile manufacturers over compatibility and called for written guarantees to consumers if vehicles suffer significant mileage losses or damage because of the fuel.
The AAP had earlier launched an online petition demanding that E20 fuel be made optional. Kejriwal had said the petition received nearly two lakh signatures and announced that he would take the public demand directly to the Prime Minister. The party subsequently organised a National Town Hall on E20 on August 1 to discuss the concerns of vehicle owners, experts and citizens.
At the latest announcement, Kejriwal said the upcoming march would be a direct appeal to the Prime Minister to address the concerns surrounding E20. He has sought greater consumer choice and a review of the policy, arguing that vehicle owners should not be forced to use a fuel blend that may not suit older vehicles.
The Centre, meanwhile, has promoted ethanol blending as part of India's efforts to reduce dependence on imported crude oil, support domestic agriculture and lower carbon emissions. The government's ethanol-blending programme has expanded substantially in recent years.
The planned march is expected to bring the E20 issue back into the national political spotlight. With Kejriwal announcing a direct protest outside the Prime Minister’s residence, the dispute over ethanol-blended petrol is set to become a sharper political confrontation between the AAP and the Centre.
