Public anger growing, people demanding accountability: Congress on E20 petrol roll out
The Congress on Monday (August 3, 2026) said people are demanding accountability and transparency over the nationwide rollout of E20 petrol, but the Modi government's
The Congress on Monday (August 3, 2026) said people are demanding accountability and transparency over the nationwide rollout of E20 petrol, but the Modi government's Ministers are unable to convince anyone of its harmlessness because no real data or reports exist. Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari's reply in Parliament on July 29 on the nationwide rollout of E20 petrol raises more questions than it answers. Gadkari claims that E20 has been rolled out after years of scientific testing and that there is no evidence of widespread vehicle damage, Mr. Ramesh pointed out.
"For months now, consumers and mechanics across the country have been reporting: reduced mileage; engine performance issues; concerns over the long-term impact of E20 fuel on their vehicles; engine compatibility, cold-start problems, and accelerated wear and tear in pre-2023 vehicles; increasing instances of clogged injectors, corroded fuel lines and cracked rubber components in older vehicles," Mr. Ramesh said on X. He further said that ordinary consumers were left with virtually no choice other than E20 fuel. A June 2026 independent survey of over 44,000 owners of pre-2023 petrol vehicles found that a significant number had experienced adverse effects after the introduction of E20, Mr. Ramesh said.
"In September 2025, Petroleum Minister Hardeep Puri had called complaints of vehicle or engine damage due to biofuels 'BS' (bullshit)," the Congress leader said. The Modi government continues to dismiss claims despite the July 2026 Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI) report and the NITI Aayog's 2021 Ethanol Policy Roadmap, which Gadkari cited in Parliament, has itself acknowledged that E20 accelerates the deterioration of rubber components, including hoses, seals, gaskets and O-rings, in vehicles designed for E10 fuel, Mr. Ramesh said. He further said that durability tests recorded engine malfunctions and failures in passenger vehicles.
E20 increases the risk of corrosion in fuel tanks and other internal metal components, Mr. Ramesh said, citing the document. E20 reduces fuel efficiency by 6-7% in older four-wheelers, 3-4% in older two-wheelers, and 1-2% even in E20-compatible four-wheelers, he argued. "Public anger is growing. People are demanding accountability and transparency. Meanwhile, the Modi Government's ministers are unable to convince anyone of E20's harmlessness because no real data or reports exist," Mr. Ramesh said.
The BriefWire