Will sit outside Gadkari's house, says Tehseen Poonawalla ahead of E20 protest
The debate over ethanol-blended petrol is set to move from social media to the streets in India for the first time, with entrepreneur and television
The debate over ethanol-blended petrol is set to move from social media to the streets in India for the first time, with entrepreneur and television personality Tehseen Poonawalla announcing a protest against the Centre's E20 fuel rollout at Delhi's Jantar Mantar at 2 pm on Sunday. Poonawalla warned that if the permission to protest at Jantar Mantar was not allowed, a handful of demonstrators could instead sit outside the residence of Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, who is at the forefront of the ethanol-blending campaign. Read Full Story The protest, organised under the banner "TEAM BHARAT against the Ethanol Scam", is being billed by its organisers as the first big public demonstration against the "rushed implementation" of the BJP-led Centre's ethanol-blending policy. Opposition to E20 petrol has so far largely remained confined to social media, automobile fora and consumer groups, but organisers claim growing public frustration over a drop in mileage and alleged vehicle wear and tear has now pushed the issue onto the streets. Video after video is emerging of people showing how fuel from petrol pumps seem to be "adulterated" and not blended. There are scores of clips in which people are complaining of a big drop in mileage because of ethanol-blended petrol and the damage that the fuel is doing to their vehicles. The government has denied these claims, with Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri saying on Thursday that the drop in mileage due to E20 was "minor". "It is well established that when you have ethanol in a vehicle, which they use in racing cars also, acceleration increases, knocking improves," said Puri. The critics are refusing to buy any of that logic. They are not against the ethanol policy but how it is being implemented and users being left without a choice. Around 80% of the vehicles in India weren't E20 compatible as of April 2024, according to Context Journalism of Thomson Reuters Foundation. Jai Hind from an ethanol guinea pig. Read the Opinion piece "We have requested permission from the Delhi Police, but they are gasping and ghosting us," Poonawalla told India Today Digital.
"I request the Delhi Police not to act like a toxic lover. We are citizens of the greatest country. Please don't ignore us or deny us our fundamental right to protest. We believe in democracy," he said. When asked about what the organisers would do if permission was denied, Poonawalla said the decision would ultimately rest with the participants but suggested a sit-in outside the residence of Union minister Nitin Gadkari could be an option. While he said that with a chuckle, his determination was obvious. "More than 10,000 people are expected to join in. I am not the only decision-maker. I will have to ask them [other organisers] what they want to do if permission to protest is denied. But I think some of us should sit outside Nitin Gadkari's house," he said. MIDDLE CLASS HAS BEEN CHEATED, CARS DAMAGED BY ETHANOL: TEHSEEN POONAWALLA While speaking to India Today Digital, Poonawalla said the protest is being organised not by any political party or political force but by ordinary vehicle owners who believe the government's ethanol policy has adversely affected their cars. "Those involved are middle-class families, decent, hardworking people who are fed up with the government's ethanol blending. Everyone attending has faced some issue in their vehicle because of ethanol. They may have political preferences, but this is not a political protest," he said. Despite the middle class traditionally staying away from street protests, Poonawalla claimed the issue has struck a chord with car owners and was likely to see good participation. "The middle class feels cheated because their hard-earned money has gone into buying these vehicles. The false implementation of ethanol blending is the trigger that is bringing people out," he said. He also added that the mobilisation of protestors was happening organically. "We have not spent a single rupee. The crowd will be coming entirely through word of mouth and social media. We have not even sought media coverage. This is an issue that affects every Indian, and automatically the media is providing us coverage," he told India Today Digital.
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