New Delhi, August 8, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday hit back at Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi over his criticism of ethanol-blended petrol, arguing that the vehicle shown in his video had a fuel tank clearly marked “E20 Compatible”.
Gandhi had posted a video a day earlier claiming that ethanol blending was increasing the financial burden on vehicle owners. Using the Hindi expression, “daal mein kuchh kaala hai, magar yahan puri daal hi kaali hai”, he suggested that the issue went beyond an isolated problem.
“The Congress will take up the matter in a massive way because the Union government is destroying people’s scooters, destroying people’s lives, and literally is stealing directly from them,” Gandhi said in the video posted on his official X account.
BJP spokesperson RP Singh said Gandhi should verify the details before making such claims.
“Whenever Rahul Gandhi releases such videos, he should first check whether they are accurate or not. The petrol tank that he opened and showed clearly had ‘E20 Compatible’ written on it,” Singh told IANS.
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Singh also claimed that farmers in Punjab were supporting E20 and said ethanol blending was necessary to help conserve the country’s foreign exchange.
BJP leader Gourav Vallabh also criticised Gandhi, saying the marking on the vehicle’s tank contradicted the point being made in the video. He accused the Congress leader of misleading people and said truth should remain the foundation of political discourse.
Opposition leaders, however, defended Gandhi and raised concerns over the impact of E20 fuel on vehicles.
Samajwadi Party MP Pushpendra Saroj said motorists had begun reporting problems that they believed were linked to ethanol blending, arguing that its disadvantages could outweigh its benefits.
Congress leader TS Singh Deo said India should provide consumers with fuel options, including petrol without ethanol, E10 and E20, particularly because some older vehicles may not be compatible even with E10.
CPI-M leader Hannan Mollah said concerns over E20’s impact on fuel quality, engine performance and mileage should be addressed by the government rather than dismissed.
The exchange comes amid a continuing political debate over the government’s ethanol-blending policy and its impact on vehicle owners.
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