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Critics to protest India's E20 ethanol mandate at Delhi's Jantar Mantar

From Hindustan Times · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Sources not specified New plan
  • Critics of the E20 ethanol-blending policy plan to protest at Delhi's Jantar Mantar on Sunday, demanding consumer choice over fuel blends.
  • Organizers aim to counter a government press conference and raise awareness about the

Critics of India's E20 ethanol-blending policy are set to launch their first public protest on Sunday, July 5, at Delhi's Jantar Mantar. Organizers describe the event as a sit-in aimed at challenging the government's mandatory E20 fuel rollout.

Tomorrow we are protesting at Jantar Mantar, Delhi, from 2 pm onwards. Join TEAM BHARAT as we raise our collective voices against the ridiculous mandatory E20 blending policy! We will also have a press conference to counter today's juvenile press conference by the government. Join us.

— Tehseen PoonawallaPoonawalla's appeal to supporters on X.

Political analyst Tehseen Poonawalla announced the demonstration on X, urging supporters to join. Protesters demand that motorists be given a choice between different ethanol blends, such as E0, E5, E10, and E20, rather than being restricted to the mandatory E20 regime. They also call for greater transparency and for all relevant government documents to be made public.

The campaign, organized under the banner of "Ethanol Scam," follows weeks of online criticism of the E20 policy on social media and automobile forums. Another organizer, Ratan Dhillon, stated that preparations are complete, but the group is awaiting final permission from Delhi Police, who have indicated it might be denied due to the potential for a large gathering.

None of us seriously opposing MANDATORY E20 BLENDED FUEL talk about insects. You guys got that done, so under this, you guys can brush everything under the hood. The only demand we have is a choice of Ethanol blended Fuels E0, E5, E10 & E20 and all documents in Public domain! #EthanolScam

— Tehseen PoonawallaPoonawalla clarifying the protesters' demands on X.

Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Saturday dismissed concerns about E20 petrol, calling claims of pest attraction or engine damage "rumors." Speaking in Jodhpur, Rajasthan, Puri advised the public to rely on scientific evidence rather than misinformation. He stated the government welcomes constructive feedback and is willing to address genuine concerns regarding the ethanol-blending program.

Over the past few days, you may have noticed a stir on social media regarding biofuel blending. I welcome criticism. If you feel there are shortcomings in the

— Hardeep Singh PuriUnion Minister's response to concerns over ethanol-blended fuel.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Hindustan Times in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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