A sugar fix for visitors: cane is prop as AAP begins stir against E20 fuel

On stage, politicians – including AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal and Delhi party president Saurabh Bhardwaj – scientists, mechanics, automobile mechanics, farmers and vehicle owners took turns questioning the Centre’s ethanol-blending programme.

Kejriwal cited a survey by LocalCircles, a community platform. “Around 45,000 people participated in the survey. While 67% reported reduced mileage, 45% said the engines of their vehicles had been damaged because of E20,” he said, calling for a discussion.

“The government should release its own data or studies on ethanol blending. It has not provided any evidence that it is beneficial,” he added.

Kejriwal went on to link the push for ethanol blending to increased ethanol imports from the US under the India-US trade agreement.

Stepping up his campaign, he also announced that he would march to the Prime Minister’s residence on August 4 to submit a petition containing two lakh signatures collected through an online campaign.

Environmental scientist Dr Anupam Sunny warned of the impact of expanding sugarcane cultivation for ethanol production.

Citing estimates by IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) – a United Nations body – he said nitrous oxide released from nitrogen fertilisers used in sugarcane farming has a much higher global warming potential than carbon dioxide.

Amir, a mechanic, displayed a corroded carburettor that he claimed had been damaged by E20 fuel. He advised owners to avoid leaving vehicles unused for long periods and to keep fuel tanks relatively full.

Jyotsna, introduced as an automobile industry expert, claimed that insurance policies do not cover engine damage linked to ethanol-blended petrol.

Sumit, who said he owns an E20-compatible Honda Shine motorcycle, claimed his vehicle had nevertheless suffered engine damage after the transition to E20 fuel.

Speaking to The Indian Express, former Delhi minister Saurabh Bhardwaj said AAP was only demanding that consumers be allowed to choose between pure petrol and E20, and that ethanol-blended fuel be sold at a lower price. “We had raised these demands even before the Jantar Mantar protests (of the CJP against NEET-UG paper leak),” he said.

Dismissing suggestions that the event marked AAP’s political revival, he said, “AAP ka demise kabhi hua nahi tha (AAP never died). We were only one or two percentage points behind the BJP. We will bounce back fast.”

Varun Raj, vice president of AAP’s minority wing, said responsibility for any engine damage linked to E20 should be fixed. “If we demand a minister’s resignation, whom should we demand it from – Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri or Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari? There should be a form given at the time of buying a car where the Ministry of Petroleum takes responsibility for engine damage caused by E20,” he said.

Kejriwal reiterated AAP’s three demands in a post on X: Every petrol pump should offer both pure petrol and E20, E20 should cost less than pure petrol, and the price of pure petrol should remain below Rs 84 a litre.

Slamming Kejriwal for his remarks, Union Minister of State for Road Transport and Highways Harsh Malhotra, who heads Delhi BJP, said in a statement, “He claims to be an IIT graduate. But his statements make it seem as if he has not even studied at an industrial training institute (ITI). Had he been educated at IIT, he would not have opposed ethanol-blended petrol that helps the nation in so many ways.”