After Pradhan, is Gadkari in the crosshairs as E20 protest loads in Delhi?
The resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan might have brought the curtains down on the month-long Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protests at New Delhi's
The resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan might have brought the curtains down on the month-long Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protests at New Delhi's Jantar Mantar, but it appears to have opened the door for the next agitation waiting in the wings. The protests were already on, but the NEET-UG paper leak agitation drowned it for a month. Now, it's back, and back with renewed spirit. Read Full Story The sparks were visible even during the final days of the CJP's protest. The site at Jantar Mantar was no longer occupied solely by students demanding accountability and the resignation of Pradhan over the NEET controversy. One after another, activists and groups raised concerns ranging from women's reservation in Parliament and unemployment to an issue that until recently had largely remained confined to automobile forums and transport associations, the Centre's Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) programme. With the CJP claiming victory after Pradhan's resignation on Saturday (July 25), activists opposing mandatory ethanol blending believe they have found both momentum and a template. Their central demand is not the withdrawal of ethanol-blended fuel altogether. Instead, they want consumers to be given a choice — E20 for compatible vehicles, E10 for older compliant vehicles and pure petrol (E0) for those who prefer it. Multiple signs indicate that the ethanol-blended petrol issue might only gather more steam in the coming days. An E20 Janta Party has come up on the lines of the Cockroach Janta Party. Team Bharat, led by activist Tehseen Poonawalla, has planned a march to Parliament Street on July 31. Delhi Taxi and Tourist Transporters and Tour Operators Association has announced a march to Parliament on the issue on August 4. This even as a survey by LocalCircles claims that 60% of pre-2023 vehicle owners are reporting a mileage-drop issue. Protesters are seeking the resignations of Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari, who has become the face of the ethanol policy, and Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, under whom the policy is being initiated. On Monday, Gadkari approached the Bombay High Court against alleged defamatory posts and deepfake content linking him and his family to profits from the E20 ethanol programme. In his Opinion piece, our in-house columnist, Kamlesh Singh, wrote that the Millennials can't meme and shame like Gen Z does, and asked if the government will hear their ethanol pain. The CJP protest at Jantar Mantar also had protesters demanding action against mandatory ethanol blending. (Image: Rishab Chauhan) NO END TO PROTESTS IN DELHI, ETHANOL ONES ARE READY Many issue-based campaigns struggle to move beyond social media.
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