Congress workers staged protests at multiple petrol pumps across Bengaluru on Monday, 9 November 2026, alleging that ethanol blending in petrol far exceeded permissible limits and demanding that the Centre guarantee the supply of unblended fuel to consumers. The demonstration targeted BJP-led Union government policy on the E20 ethanol blending programme, which has become a flashpoint between the Karnataka state government and central oil marketing companies.

What the Protesters Alleged

Congress workers visited several petrol stations carrying placards and raised slogans against the Union government. Congress leader Manohar told reporters that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had already flagged the issue at the national level and pressed the Centre to act. Manohar alleged that laboratory tests commissioned by the Karnataka government had detected ethanol blending levels as high as 32 per cent in petrol samples — well above the mandated 20 per cent ceiling.

'Our state government got petrol samples tested in reputed laboratories, and the findings revealed that ethanol blending was as high as 32 per cent. The Congress has demanded that ethanol blending in fuel be stopped immediately and normal, unblended petrol be made available to consumers and motorists. The BJP government, which is itself involved in adulterated practices, is betraying consumers by allowing higher percentages of ethanol blending,' Manohar alleged.

BJP's Counter-Charge

BJP Member of Parliament Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar dismissed the protest as a political distraction. Speaking to reporters, he accused the Congress of deflecting public attention from the real issue of rising prices by repeatedly stoking the ethanol blending controversy. 'The issue of ethanol blending has already been discussed. There is no truth in the allegations, and the Centre has provided explanations. Claims that engines would not function properly because of ethanol blending are also false. There is no need for further discussion on this issue,' he said.

What Oil Companies and the Centre Say

The protests come against the backdrop of the Karnataka government's earlier claim that petrol sold in the state contains up to 31.2 per cent ethanol. The three public sector oil marketing companies — Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL), Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL), and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) — have categorically rejected the finding, asserting that E20 petrol supplied across India, including Karnataka, fully complies with the Bureau of Indian Standards' IS 17021 specification.

The oil companies, backed by the Union Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, have also questioned the testing methodology used by the Karnataka government, stating that the results were not derived through the statutory procedures prescribed under the Motor Spirit and High Speed Diesel Control Order, 2005, and the Marketing Discipline Guidelines, 2024.

Karnataka Government's Response

Responding to the joint statement issued by the three oil majors, Karnataka Food and Civil Supplies Minister Rizwan Arshad described their reply as a 'cut-copy-paste response' and said he would release a detailed clarification with the laboratory findings. This comes amid a broader political dispute over fuel quality and consumer rights in Karnataka, with the ruling Congress government at the state level squaring off against central agencies on a matter that directly affects millions of motorists.

The controversy is unlikely to be resolved quickly, with both sides having dug in on the testing methodology question — and a formal ministerial clarification from Karnataka still pending.