The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday, 8 August launched a sharp rebuttal against Congress leader and Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, a day after he posted a video on his official X account alleging that ethanol-blended fuel is placing an increased financial burden on vehicle owners. The BJP's central counter: the car's fuel tank Gandhi displayed in the video had 'E20 Compatible' clearly written on it, undermining his own argument.

What Rahul Gandhi Said

In his video, Gandhi used the Hindi phrase 'daal mein kuchh kaala hai, magar yahan puri daal hi kaali hai' — implying the problem runs deeper than a surface-level issue. He accused the Union government of damaging people's scooters and vehicles through the ethanol-blending policy, calling it a direct financial assault on ordinary citizens. 'The Congress will take up the matter in a massive way because the Union government is destroying people's scooters, destroying people's lives, and literally is stealing directly from them,' Gandhi said.

BJP's Counter-Attack

BJP spokesperson RP Singh said Gandhi should verify the accuracy of his videos before releasing them. 'The petrol tank that he opened and showed clearly had 'E20 Compatible' written on it. But still, he should speak to the farmers of Punjab as they are, in fact, protesting against those political parties who are opposing E20,' Singh said. He added that farmers are supportive of the policy and that E20 is essential for the country's foreign exchange reserves.

BJP leader Gourav Vallabh echoed the criticism, saying Gandhi had failed to read the label on the very tank he was presenting as evidence. 'Rahul Gandhi should realise that he is being publicly mocked. He should have at least read what is written on the tank of the car which he was showing. Only speaking lies and misleading people is not politics — the first foundation of politics is truth,' Vallabh remarked.

Opposition Backs Gandhi's Concerns

Despite the BJP's pushback, several opposition leaders rallied behind the LoP's broader concerns about E20 fuel. Samajwadi Party MP Pushpendra Saroj argued that common people — not just politicians — have reported vehicle problems linked to ethanol blending. 'Ethanol's disadvantages are greater than its benefits,' he said.

Congress leader TS Singh Deo raised a structural concern, cautioning that many older engines in India may not even support E10, let alone E20. He called for a phased approach with multiple fuel options — pure petrol, E10, and E20 — available simultaneously until E20-compatible vehicles become widely accessible.

CPI-M leader Hannan Mollah said the government was dismissing legitimate public concerns. 'Everyone is worried that the 20 per cent ethanol blending in fuel is affecting its quality. It is damaging engines and reducing mileage. Many people are saying this but the Union government is forcibly saying that it is fine,' he said.

The Broader E20 Debate

India's E20 programme — which mandates blending 20% ethanol with petrol — has been a flagship policy of the Union government, aimed at reducing crude oil imports and boosting farm incomes through higher demand for sugarcane and grain-based ethanol. Critics, however, argue the rollout has outpaced the availability of compatible vehicles, leaving older engines exposed to potential damage and reduced fuel efficiency. This episode marks one of the sharpest political flashpoints yet over the policy's ground-level impact.