On Friday, Aam Aadmi Party convener Arvind Kejriwal addressed reporters in Panaji, alleging that the BJP-led Centre implemented the E20 fuel blending programme due to pressure from US President Donald Trump. Kejriwal claimed that this move was made to facilitate massive American ethanol imports. The former Delhi chief minister stated that the government forcibly imposed the E20 policy without ensuring that existing vehicles were compatible with the higher ethanol blend or upgrading infrastructure. He pointed out that America is the largest producer of ethanol but is unable to consume all of it, so India is being forced to implement E20 and import the substance from the US.
Kejriwal cited that India had imported one billion litres of ethanol from the US last year and would import five billion litres this year. He alleged that the policy was aimed at creating a market for surplus American ethanol. The AAP leader also mentioned that even the US had not implemented E20 nationwide and largely continued with lower ethanol blends. Furthermore, Kejriwal stated that the government had given only three years to implement E20 after announcing the policy in 2022, which he deemed inadequate for upgrading fuel storage facilities, transport infrastructure, and vehicles.
Kejriwal urged people to defer purchasing petrol and diesel vehicles, as the Centre was preparing to introduce higher ethanol blends such as E30 and E40. He also questioned the government’s claim that E20 had been introduced after extensive testing, asking it to make the reports of such studies public. The AAP had organised a nationwide online town hall against the E20 policy and launched an online petition. Kejriwal linked the issue to the 2027 Goa assembly elections, appealing to voters to defeat the BJP, claiming that an electoral setback would force the Centre to withdraw the E20 policy.
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đź“° Source: Siasat Gulf