Union minister Nitin Gadkari has alleged that a “petrol lobby” is behind what he described as a defamatory campaign against ethanol blending, including claims that E20 petrol could harm vehicles. Speaking in an interview to an English daily, he said groups that profit from India’s petroleum import ecosystem are spreading misinformation.
Gadkari pointed to India’s annual petroleum imports, which he said are worth about Rs 22 lakh crore, arguing that the outflow of money and the pollution caused by fossil fuels make it essential to cut imports and move towards energy self-reliance.
Responding to criticism that petrol prices have not fallen despite ethanol blending, he said fuel prices are linked to international crude oil rates, which have seen sharp fluctuations. He added that pricing is not determined by ethanol blending alone, and that wider adoption of ethanol-based vehicles would improve cost benefits.
He also claimed that false assertions and misleading examples are being circulated on social media and other platforms, and alleged that some private entities involved in fuel imports are funding efforts to create a negative image of ethanol and to defame him.
On the future of fuels, Gadkari said petrol and diesel cannot be fully replaced immediately given consumption levels and import dependence. However, he said India should pursue multiple technologies—including electric vehicles, ethanol, methanol, biodiesel, LNG and hydrogen—to reduce reliance on imported petroleum fuels.
