NEW DELHI(National Times)- The Indian government sought to contain a growing backlash on Friday against its mandatory use of 20 per cent ethanol-blended petrol, as consumers unhappy about lower fuel efficiency and vehicle performance planned a protest against the policy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The mandate to use the blend, called E20, came into force last year, but is now one of the biggest political flashpoints for Prime Minister Narendra Modi\u2019s government and motorists in the world\u2019s third-biggest car market.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The controversy intensified this week after Attorney General R. Venkataramani told a court hearing that E20 was an \u201cexperiment\u201d whose results would only come out next year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The government denied the remark was ever made, but video of the court hearing showing Venkataramani saying the words has since gone viral on social media.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Venkataramani said he used the term \u201cexperiment\u201d in the context of the volume of ethanol supplies, not the ethanol petrol policy itself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This has done little to quell public anger, with opponents of the policy accusing the government of rushing its rollout.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The government\u2019s press office dismissed the criticism as \u201cwild claims\u201d on Friday, asking people to not \u201cfall for the rage bait\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Seeking to reassure motorists, Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Thursday compared ethanol fuel to its use in motor racing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThey use it in racing cars also, the acceleration increases. Mileage, yes, it may drop a little,\u201d Puri said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Protest planned<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Tehseen Poonawalla, a New Delhi-based socialite and Congress party supporter, said he was planning a protest against the E20 policy in New Delhi on Sunday, and had received interest from thousands of people wanting to join in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Many motorists are frustrated that they no longer have a choice at fuel stations and have seized on the attorney general\u2019s comment to vent their anger on social media.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Priyank Kharge, a state minister in India\u2019s opposition Congress party, said on X that the E20 policy rollout lacked consultation and that the government \u201ccannot challenge citizens to prove damage when your own data is still pending\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Hundreds of motorists have posted complaints on X alleging reduced fuel efficiency and increased wear and tear of car parts from E20.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In one video on X viewed over 500,000 times, an agitated motorist who identified himself as Manish Kashyap stands in a workshop with his car saying in the post it needed repairs after being damaged by E20 fuel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI have spent a lot of money on this car and paid taxes only to find that after two months my car is not working,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The government says E20 helps to reduce carbon emissions, cuts crude imports which saves foreign exchange, and supports farm incomes by increasing demand for agricultural feedstocks used in ethanol production.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
NEW DELHI(National Times)- The Indian government sought to contain a growing backlash on Friday against its mandatory use of 20 per cent ethanol-blended petrol, as consumers unhappy about lower fuel efficiency and vehicle performance planned a protest against the policy. The mandate to use the blend, called E20, came into force last year, but is […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":128706,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-128705","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-international","entry"],"yoast_head":"\n