Tehseen Poonawalla claims house arrest ahead of E20 protest, targets Gadkari
Activist Tehseen Poonawalla claimed that he was put under house arrest by Delhi Police ahead of his protest march and hunger strike against the government's
Activist Tehseen Poonawalla claimed that he was put under house arrest by Delhi Police ahead of his protest march and hunger strike against the government's E20 petrol policy. Poonawalla, who has launched a crusade against Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari and ethanol-blended fuel, put out several videos showing cops at his doorstep on Saturday. "An entire battalion of Delhi Police, including women officers, has put me under house arrest! Nitin Gadkari is scared of ethanol," Poonawalla tweeted. In another video, the activist is seen asking a police officer how he could be detained without any documents.
Read Full Story "No papers, nothing. I am under house arrest... Azaadi ke 15 din pehle aap mujhe detain kar rahe (you are detaining me 15 days before Independence Day)," Poonawalla is heard telling the cop. To this, the police officer said that his protest march might create a law and order situation and asked him to cooperate. Poonawalla announced on Friday that he would undertake a "solo" walk to Gandhi Smriti, observe a silent protest, and launch a hunger strike against the policy. The announcement came in the wake of permission being denied for his 'Gaadi March' to Parliament on July 31.
Following the Cockroach Janta Party's month-long protest over exam paper leaks, which resulted in the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Poonawalla has sought to tap into the growing public frustration with E20 petrol. The government's rollout of E20 petrol - a blend of 80% petrol and 20% ethanol - has come under intense criticism from opposition parties and consumer groups. Several vehicle owners (pre-2023) have claimed E20 has resulted in a reduction in mileage and higher maintenance costs. While Union Minister Nitin Gadkari admitted that E20 can reduce fuel efficiency by 2-6%, he asserted that extensive testing found no evidence of engine failures linked to the fuel.
A key demand by Poonawalla and his Team Bharat, which has been spearheading the anti-E20 cause, is that 100% petrol, E5, and E10 fuels should be available as well, giving motorists the right to choose. Ends
The BriefWire