New Delhi/ Goa (Gurpreet Singh): Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday called out the Modi government over E20-Blended Petrol at a Townhall in Miramar, Goa, asserting that the government would not withdraw the fuel blend without political pressure. He urged voters to defeat the BJP in Goa and Uttar Pradesh, saying the party’s arrogance that it will win regardless of public anger must be broken.
The AAP Chief further emphasised that 80 per cent of vehicles in India are not compatible with E20, yet the government is forcibly imposing it, and warned that once the E20 issue subsides, the government will move to E30 and even introduce ethanol blending in diesel.
Addressing the Townhall in Goa, AAP National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal said, “After listening to people’s experiences with E20, it has become clear that the mileage of almost all vehicles has fallen by 30 to 40 per cent, while the engines and fuel transmission systems of 60 to 70 per cent of vehicles are being damaged. This is not merely a Goa issue. People across the country are raising their voices against E20. But I do not know for what reasons the Prime Minister is not listening to the people of the country.”
Highlighting Goa’s exposure to E20, the AAP Chief stated, “Goa is the worst affected by E20 petrol because it has the highest density of two wheelers and four wheelers in the country. In Goa, 87 per cent of families own two wheelers and 47 per cent own four wheelers, which is much higher than the national average. Some people are under the misconception that E20 has not been implemented in Goa. In reality, since 1 April 2026, only E20 petrol has been available at every petrol pump across the country and pure petrol is no longer available. The petrol people are filling at petrol pumps in Goa is E20, and this is why vehicle mileage is falling.”
Referring to the nationwide campaign against E20, Arvind Kejriwal said, “We also organised a national Townhall in Delhi, which was watched live simultaneously by 7 lakh people across the country. Perhaps this was the first time in the world that such a large number of people watched a virtual rally live at the same time. That day, we decided that we would organise similar Townhalls across the country. These programmes are now being held in different states.”
Speaking about consultations with automobile manufacturers, Arvind Kejriwal stated, “I wrote to 29 automobile manufacturing companies asking whether E20 could be safely used in their cars, scooters and motorcycles manufactured before 2023. Not a single company responded. Later, when I called them, officials from nine companies spoke openly on the condition of anonymity. They told us that E20 is a very dangerous fuel and that using it in petrol based vehicles manufactured before 2023 would be extremely dangerous.”
He said, “The company officials said they cannot speak openly about this because they are under tremendous pressure from the Modi government at the Centre. If they speak against E20, they will face raids by the ED (Enforcement Directorate), CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation) and Income Tax Department, and their plants will be shut down.”
Citing the position of automobile manufacturers, Arvind Kejriwal asserted, “At a meeting of SIAM, the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers, all the companies demanded that E20 be discontinued. SIAM prepared a research based report describing E20 as extremely dangerous. The report was submitted to the Central Government on 28 July, along with a request to discontinue it.”
The AAP Chief pointed out, “When the report became public on social media, the government exerted pressure and got SIAM to withdraw it within a week. SIAM issued a statement saying that perhaps a mistake had been made. How can there be a mistake in a report prepared by such a large organisation? Clearly, scientific and third party reports are being withdrawn through threats and pressure from the ED and CBI.”
Turning to the impact on sugar prices, Arvind Kejriwal said, “Sugarcane equivalent to 25 lakh tonnes of sugar has been diverted to produce ethanol, creating a severe shortage of sugar in the country. Over the past month, sugar prices have increased by ₹30 per kilogram. On 30 July, sugar was ₹45 per kilogram, while today it is ₹75 per kilogram in the market. On one hand, this foolish and uneducated government diverted sugarcane towards ethanol and blended it into petrol, causing people to suffer because of E20.”
“On the other hand, it has made sugar more expensive, causing further hardship. The government’s claim was that blending 20% ethanol into petrol would reduce crude oil imports by 20% and save foreign exchange. But because of the shortage of sugar, the country is now importing sugar. So whatever foreign exchange was supposedly saved is now being spent on importing sugar,” he added.
Criticising the government’s decision making, Arvind Kejriwal stated, “I have never seen such a foolish government in my life. When a government takes decisions, it consults experts. Did no expert tell them that diverting so much sugarcane would create a shortage of sugar, or do these people simply listen to nobody? Nitin Gadkari used to say that blending ethanol would bring petrol down to ₹15 per litre, but petrol did not become cheaper.”
He pointed out, “All the government’s claims have proved hollow and the country has gained nothing. Some people believe that Donald Trump is putting pressure on PM Modi. America has a surplus of ethanol, and after this artificial shortage created by the government, ethanol will now be imported from America so that E20 can be increased to E30 and E40.”
Warning about future fuel blends, Arvind Kejriwal said, “Almost 80% of vehicles in the country are not compatible with E20, yet it is being forcibly imposed. The government is saying that it is conducting trials and research for E30, but the BJP people do not conduct any studies. These people are uneducated and do not even know how to conduct a study. They are simply watching the situation.”
The AAP National Convenor said, “As soon as the E20 issue dies down, they will take it to E30, E40 and even E85. Therefore, people should not buy new vehicles from the market right now because the government will impose E30 and E40 petrol on E20 vehicles within a year, causing the vehicles to break down. The government has also announced that it will introduce blending in diesel and CNG (Compressed Natural Gas).”
Giving examples from other countries, the AAP Chief explained, “Countries that implemented ethanol took a long time to do so. Japan currently has E3 and will reach E20 only in 2040. The United States produces the most ethanol in the world, yet it uses E10. Brazil introduced E5 in 1931 and reached E20 only 55 years later, in 1985. Implementing ethanol based fuel requires extensive preparation. Oil tankers, storage tanks at petrol pumps and vehicle engines have to be changed. New vehicles have to be made compatible with E20, which takes 15 to 20 years. But Prime Minister Modi has done all of this in three years.”
Addressing criticism of E20, Arvind Kejriwal said, “Anyone who raises their voice against E20 is labelled anti national by these people. An ordinary person takes a loan beyond their means or uses their savings to buy a vehicle. New vehicles are breaking down within the 10,000 kilometre warranty period itself. When someone’s vehicle breaks down, they have to face enormous financial and mental distress.”
The AAP Chief asserted, “The BJP people are arrogant. They believe they can do whatever they want and will still win. They believe the people will vote for them and that the public will come to them anyway. But if the BJP loses in Goa and Uttar Pradesh in this Assembly election, E20 will be withdrawn by 15 March, after the results are announced on 10 March.”
“In Goa, 87% of people own two wheelers and 47% own four wheelers, and they are suffering because of E20. If everyone collectively decides that they will not vote for the BJP this time, then I believe that if E20 is not withdrawn within five days, I will leave politics. This time, let everyone in Goa defeat the BJP. Just watch, E20 will be withdrawn within five days,” he concluded.
