Nagpur, Aug 3: Youth Congress workers staged a protest in Nagpur on Monday against the nationwide rollout of E20 ethanol-blended petrol and attempted to march to Union Minister Nitin Gadkari’s residence to gherao it. Police stopped the protesters before they could reach the house, detaining several participants.
The protest march began from Chitnivis Park Square in Mahal and headed towards Gadkari’s private residence in the same locality. Demonstrators raised slogans alleging that E20 fuel is not suitable for many vehicles and could adversely affect their performance.
Police deployed heavy security around the minister’s residence and erected barricades along the route. Some protesters attempted to climb over the barricades, but they were prevented from advancing and several were taken into custody.
The Congress has intensified its criticism of Gadkari over the E20 fuel policy following his reply in Parliament on July 29 regarding its nationwide rollout. The party has argued that the government’s response has failed to address concerns about the impact of ethanol-blended fuel on vehicles.
Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh on Monday questioned the government’s claims that E20 fuel was introduced only after extensive scientific testing and that there was no evidence of widespread vehicle damage.
In a post on X, Ramesh said consumers and mechanics across the country had reported reduced fuel efficiency, engine performance issues, concerns about the long-term impact of E20 fuel, compatibility problems in older vehicles, cold-start issues, accelerated engine wear, clogged fuel injectors, corroded fuel lines and damage to rubber components in vehicles manufactured before 2023.
