E20 fuel (AI-generated image)
NEW DELHI: Delhi-based transport bodies are likely to hold a protest march to Parliament, demanding the withdrawal of ethanol-blended petrol.The planned protest would be led by the Delhi Taxi and Tourist Transporters and Tour Operators Association along with other groups.”We are planning to hold a protest march to Parliament on August 4 against ethanol-blended petrol and demand its withdrawal. We want to give a wake-up call to MPs who are sleeping on the issue, as vehicle problems linked to ethanol blending are being reported from across the country,” Sanjay Samrat, president of the Delhi Taxi and Tourist Transporters and Tour Operators Association, told PTI. He also distanced the protest call from the so-called “E-20 Janta Party” and the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP). The CJP, an online satirical outfit, had on July 20 led a march to Parliament seeking the resignation of then Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the NEET (UG) paper leak controversy, which resulted in clashes between protesters and police.”We do not want to make this a political issue and are not associated with any ‘E-20 Janta Party’, Cockroach Janta Party or any other political party,” Samrat added, referring to the online campaign against E20 fuel, which is a blend of 20% ethanol and 80% petrol. According to Harish Sabharwal, national president of the All India Motor Transport Congress, the association was protesting against the government’s move to make E20 fuel the only option available to consumers.”Ethanol-blended petrol should not be forced upon commuters; there should be a choice. Currently, no option is being provided. We are supporting the protest march to Parliament, but the association has not given any call for a strike as of now,” Sabharwal stated.The protest announcement comes days after the launch of the “E-20 Janata Party,” an online movement formed along the lines of the CJP, which has gained a large following on Instagram and X.The E20 ethanol-blending policy has been at the centre of a major controversy, with concerns raised over reduced vehicle mileage, possible engine wear and alleged conflicts of interest.The government has defended the programme, ruling out any immediate plans to increase ethanol blending beyond 20% and maintaining that the fuel is safe, cleaner and beneficial for farmers.
