Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday stepped up his criticism of the Centre's E20 fuel policy after visiting a petrol pump and an automobile service station in Delhi. During the visit, he interacted with vehicle owners to understand their experiences with E20-blended petrol and later alleged that the government's claims regarding the fuel do not match what consumers are experiencing on the ground. Kejriwal said many motorists he spoke to complained of declining fuel efficiency and mechanical problems after switching to E20 petrol.
Kejriwal Cites Public Feedback On E20 Petrol
Following his visit, the former Delhi Chief Minister shared his observations on social media, claiming the feedback from vehicle owners raised serious concerns about the impact of ethanol-blended fuel.
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He wrote, "Today, I went to a petrol pump and a service station in Delhi to understand the ground reality. The government is telling blatant lies. E20 petrol is genuinely causing problems in vehicles. Ordinary people are deeply distressed because of ethanol. Almost everyone I spoke to said their vehicles' mileage has dropped, and many have complained about mechanical issues.”
The AAP leader maintained that the issues highlighted by motorists deserved attention and called for a broader discussion on the rollout of E20 fuel.
Hits Back At Criticism Of E20 Opponents
Kejriwal also objected to what he described as the government's response towards critics of the E20 policy.
"For the past few days, I have been observing that anyone in the country who opposes E20-blended petrol is being abused by ministers in this government. They are being called anti nationals, traitors, agents of the petrol lobby, unemployed social activists, and several other names. I want to tell Prime Minister Narendra Modi that such arrogance is not appropriate."
"All those who are raising concerns about E20 petrol are distressed by its impact. They are our fellow citizens. They are not traitors. They are patriots. It is wrong to abuse them in this manner. I want to tell Prime Minister Narendra Modi that they should not be insulted like this. We live in a democracy. Listen to what they have to say. It is the government's duty to hear their grievances and address them,” he added.