Rahul Gandhi condemns India's E20 fuel policy as a costly burden on consumers

On August 7, opposition leader Rahul Gandhi addressed the Lok Sabha and a video posted on X, accusing the government’s E20 fuel programme – a 20 % ethanol‑blended petrol – of “stealing directly from people” and damaging vehicles. He claimed the policy has imposed an extra burden of roughly ₹88,234 crore on Indian motorists due to reduced mileage and higher maintenance costs.

Gandhi said the initiative, promoted by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways under Minister Nitin Gadkari, has failed to deliver the promised price benefits for diesel and petrol. Party secretary Jaya Ram Ramesh echoed the criticism, noting that the blended fuel will become the sole option at most petrol pumps from March 2025. Gandhi announced that the Congress party will take the issue up “in a big way” and launch a nationwide outreach campaign to mobilise vehicle owners and small‑business users affected by rising fuel costs.

The opposition framed the E20 rollout as part of a broader pattern of corruption, urging the public to demand greater transparency on ethanol sourcing and the environmental and economic impact of the blend.