AAP National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal holds national townhall programme against E20 policy in Delhi

AAP National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday conducted a national townhall programme outside the Constitution Club to protest the implementation of the E20 policy in the country.

Aam Aadmi Party National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday conducted a national townhall programme outside the Constitution Club to protest the implementation of the E20 policy in the country. Addressing reporters, the AAP National Convenor questioned the inconsistency of the Union Ministry's statements regarding the petrol-blended ethanol policy, claiming that no significant study has been conducted on the subject. He further declared that the E20 policy is being forcibly implemented on the people.

He further questioned the BJP's government's interest in implementing the E20 policy, claiming that vehicles are getting damaged and mileage is dropping due to the presence of petrol-blended ethanol in vehicles. "On one side they say E20 is good, on the other side they say E20 is bad. One ministry says there is a difference of 2 per cent to 5 per cent, while another ministry says 4 per cent. They haven't conducted any study; they are just forcing the policy onto the people... Vehicles are getting damaged and mileage is dropping. Why is the Government forcing this on people? What is the interest of Govt in this? E20 petrol is not good... said Kejriwal.

Alongside Kejriwal, AAP leader Saurabh Bhardwaj also opposed the implementation of the E20 policy, emphasising that consumers should be given the choice between pure petrol or ethanol-blended fuel. Speaking to ANI, Bhardwaj further emphasised that the townhall meeting, led by Arvind Kejriwal, aims to bring people together from Delhi and neighbouring states to voice concerns regarding the policy.

"... Many petitions have been submitted to make pure petrol available. People say ethanol-blended petrol is reducing fuel efficiency and damaging vehicle fuel systems. If E20 petrol is to be introduced, consumers should have a choice at petrol pumps--whether to buy pure petrol or ethanol-blended fuel. Town hall meeting, led by Arvind Kejriwal, will bring together people from Delhi and neighbouring states to voice these concerns," Bhardwaj told ANI. Earlier, the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas on Thursday refuted what it termed as "misleading claims" regarding ethanol-blended petrol (E20), asserting that there is "no verified evidence of widespread engine damage" linked to the fuel following years of scientific vetting and real-world usage across crores of vehicles.

Addressing concerns raised on social media platforms, the ministry clarified that its conclusions stem from over 25 years of phased implementation, continuous field tracking, and exhaustive stakeholder consultations. Responding to concerns over older vehicles, the ministry cited service data from a leading automobile manufacturer, which serviced 2.84 crore vehicles in FY2025-26, including around 1.5 crore vehicles that were not originally certified as E20-compatible, and found "no E20-linked corrosion, abnormal wear or reduction in component life." (ANI)