New Delhi (Gurpreet Singh): Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal was stopped by the Delhi Police while marching to PM Narendra Modi’s residence with 100 people affected by E20 petrol and more than 233,000 public petitions demanding the policy’s withdrawal. After being prevented from meeting the Prime Minister, Arvind Kejriwal sat-in on the road with the petitions, insisting that they be accepted. The Delhi Police informed him that the Prime Minister would not meet the delegation before taking custody of all the petitions and ending the demonstration.
The AAP Chief called out the Modi government for imposing E20-Blended Petrol under pressure from US President Trump and urged the Prime Minister to stand up to Trump instead of displaying strength against the public. He emphasised that if E20 is not withdrawn, the country will be compelled to launch another major movement. Senior AAP leaders including Punjab Prabhari Manish Sisodia, Uttar Pradesh Prabhari Sanjay Singh and other party leaders were also present.
Following the demonstration, AAP National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal took to ‘X’ and posted, “Today, we tried to meet PM Modi with more than 233,000 petitions from the public opposing E20, but PM Modi’s police stopped us. We have sent all the petitions to PM Modi.”
He asked, “PM Modi, what is the point of showing your strength against us? Show the same courage in front of Trump and stop imposing E20 on the country. Otherwise, the nation will once again be compelled to launch a major movement.”
Addressing a press conference, AAP National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal stated, “We had gone today to submit 233,238 petitions to the Prime Minister. A month ago, we had sought time to discuss the forceful imposition of the E20-Blended Petrol issue with him, but we received no response. Today, when we went to hand over the petitions, we were informed that he would not meet us. This reflects the dictatorial attitude. Just as he displayed dictatorship throughout the entire NEET examination leaks episode, he is showing the same approach on the E20 issue by remaining adamant.”
Questioning the Centre’s stand on E20, Arvind Kejriwal asserted, “The BJP-led Central Government itself admitted in Parliament that fuel efficiency does decrease. It also admitted that engine components are affected, specifically the rubber components. So if engine parts are getting damaged and mileage is also reducing, then why is this being imposed forcibly? It appears that the only reason is US President Trump’s pressure on PM Modi. Trump is putting so much pressure on him that PM Modi does not have the courage to say no. He is forcing India to buy ethanol from the United States and sell it here. That is why this entire E20 policy has come about.”
Questioning the government’s justifications for E20, he added, “They also claim that it saves foreign exchange. But when you buy ethanol worth billions of dollars from the United States, how is foreign exchange being saved? In fact, more foreign exchange is being spent. They also claimed that Indian farmers would benefit.”
The AAP Chief pointed out, “It is not Indian farmers who are benefiting, but American farmers. Trump is forcing this ethanol policy to protect farmers in the United States. Ethanol there is produced from maize, and American farmers have put tremendous pressure on Trump. Trump, in turn, put pressure on PM Modi to buy ethanol to protect American farmers. Our farmers are not benefiting at all. American farmers are. So, fundamentally, this entire exercise is being carried out solely under Trump’s pressure because our Prime Minister is a weak Prime Minister.”
Speaking about the petition drive, he added, “We had taken all the petitions. If the Prime Minister’s Office asks us, we will send them a fresh set of all the petitions. If 233,000 people signed them in such a short period, it is obvious how much anxiety and concern exists across the country over this issue. We want to appeal to the Prime Minister to stop buying ethanol from the United States. Learn to withstand Trump’s pressure.”
Highlighting the growing opposition to the policy, he emphasised, “The entire country is suffering. Just now, the Punjab Assembly passed a resolution demanding that E20 be withdrawn. E20 is against the interests of the people and the Prime Minister must not bow to Trump’s pressure. AAP has two MLAs in Goa, five MLAs in Gujarat and one MLA in Jammu and Kashmir. Our MLAs in Jammu and Kashmir, Gujarat and Goa will also introduce resolutions seeking the withdrawal of E20. We know these resolutions may not be passed because the BJP is in power there. At least in Gujarat and Goa they will not allow them to pass, but we will still place these resolutions before the Assemblies.”
Arvind Kejriwal stated, “We have realised that the movement will have to become much bigger. During the entire NEET leak movement, PM Modi himself had to decide whether or not to seek Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation. But here, there is pressure from Trump, and in front of Trump, PM Modi becomes completely submissive. PM Modi has no say. It looks like he has his compulsions. Therefore, if people want relief from E20 and want to get rid of it, they will have to come out on the streets on a very large scale.”
Speaking about the movement ahead, the AAP Chief added, “The agitation will continue. We will deliberate on what the next activity will be and we will inform everyone. The 100 people who came today, the victims, showed tremendous courage. In today’s atmosphere, showing courage is extremely difficult. If someone merely uploads a video on social media, these people make life miserable for them. They register FIRs, their trolls threaten them and their goons reach people’s homes. They have unleashed widespread goondaism. But this very goondaism will ultimately become the reason for their downfall.”
Meanwhile, senior AAP leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh stated, “Under pressure from Trump, PM Modi has mortgaged the country’s self respect, dignity and the 30 crore vehicles of India into Trump’s hands. Because of his subservience to Trump, PM Modi is going to buy ₹22,000 crore worth of ‘trash’ from the United States. A month ago, Arvind Kejriwal wrote to the Prime Minister requesting a meeting to discuss this issue. In addition, over 233,000 people signed a petition stating that they are against E20. But because of his subservience to Trump, the Prime Minister did not listen to Arvind Kejriwal.”
Sanjay Singh added, “Today, Arvind Kejriwal, along with 100 victims whose vehicles were damaged due to E20 petrol, was going to submit these 233,000 petitions to the Prime Minister. However, to stop just 100 people, a massive police force was deployed and nearly 1,000 police personnel were stationed. This is the true nature of Narendra Modi’s rule. Led by Arvind Kejriwal, this fight against E20 will continue, and we will not allow Prime Minister Narendra Modi to remain subservient to Trump or act as his broker.”
On the other hand, senior AAP leader and former Delhi Deputy CM Manish Sisodia said, “The issue of E20 is about forcing ethanol into the vehicles of 30 crore people across the country. Crores of people are saying that it is damaging their vehicles, reducing mileage, harming engines and increasing servicing costs.”
Manish Sisodia added, “When the public is suffering such huge losses, why is PM Modi still adamant about it? Only because of pressure from the United States and pressure from Trump. Trump had surplus ethanol, and he forced PM Modi to bow down and purchase it for India. Today, we had gone to submit petitions signed by lakhs of people to the Prime Minister on this very issue, but the Prime Minister refused to meet us. The petitions were then sent to the Prime Minister’s Office through the police.”
People signed the following petition addressed to the Prime Minister:
There is a huge outcry against imposition of E20 petrol across the country. I am distressed to see that the government is not listening to us and is hell bent upon imposing it. There is neither logic, nor science, nor engineering, nor economics which justifies government’s decisions. Perhaps, there is politics, which is beyond me and I fail to understand.
As a citizen of this country, I urge you to:
- Provide us the choice between pure petrol and E20 at fuel stations, so that we are not forced to use fuel that damages our vehicles.
- Reduce the price of E20 to reflect the lower calorific value and reduced mileage it delivers, so that we are not paying full price for a compromised product.
