Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari has dismissed as “false, fabricated and misleading” viral social media claims suggesting that E20 petrol attracts ants because it contains sugarcane juice or is sweet in nature.
In an exclusive interview with ABP News Political Editor Megha Prasad, Gadkari addressed concerns surrounding ethanol-blended petrol after several videos surfaced online showing ants gathering around vehicle fuel tanks. The clips sparked speculation that E20 fuel contains sugarcane juice or other sugary substances.
Rejecting the claims outright, Gadkari clarified that ethanol is a form of alcohol and does not attract ants.
“First of all, let me make it clear that ethanol is alcohol. When people open bottles of whisky or rum, do ants gather around them? Whisky, rum and ethanol are all forms of alcohol. The claims being made by some people on social media are completely wrong,” he said.
#WATCH | एथेनॉल विवाद पर बोले नितिन गडकरी, गारंटी पीरियड में डीलर की जिम्मेदारी@MeghaSPrasad | @nitin_gadkarihttps://t.co/smwhXUROiK#EthanolBlending #E20 #Petrol #Mileage #AutoNews #Fuel #NitinGadkari #ABPNews pic.twitter.com/d3b22A3pmj
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‘Misinformation Being Spread’
The Union minister alleged that misinformation and a deliberate campaign were being carried out against ethanol.
He said no official complaints regarding E20 petrol had been received by his ministry. While around 53 videos related to the issue had surfaced on social media, many of them, he said, contained misleading information.
Gadkari urged people with genuine concerns to submit complaints through the ministry’s official website, assuring them that he would personally examine the matter.
Gadkari Responds To Mileage Concerns
Responding to concerns over fuel efficiency, Gadkari said vehicles running on ethanol-blended petrol deliver mileage comparable to conventional petrol in city driving conditions.
However, he acknowledged that highway mileage could be slightly lower because ethanol has a lower calorific value than petrol.
He appealed to the public not to form opinions based on unverified social media content and to rely on facts instead.
