New Delhi: The Centre’s E20 fuel policy turned into a fresh political flashpoint in the national capital on Saturday, with Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor Arvind Kejriwal intensifying his campaign against ethanol-blended petrol while activist Tehseen Poonawalla alleged that he was placed under house arrest ahead of a planned protest against the programme.
Kejriwal organised a National Town Hall Against E20 at the Constitution Club in New Delhi, where he announced that he would march to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s residence on August 4 to submit petitions signed by more than two lakh people opposing the policy.
Separately, Poonawalla claimed Delhi Police prevented him from leaving his residence before a proposed silent march and hunger strike against the same issue.
The developments come even as the Union Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas…
Activist Tehseen Poonawalla alleged that he was placed under house arrest by Delhi Police on Saturday morning before he could begin a planned protest against the Centre’s ethanol blending programme.
According to India Today’s report, Poonawalla had planned to hold a silent march to Gandhi Smriti, followed by a day-long hunger strike against the implementation of the E20 policy. Videos shared by him from his residence purportedly showed police personnel, including women officers, stationed outside his home.
The report said Poonawalla questioned police officials over the absence of any formal written order restricting his movement. He also shared videos of the deployment outside his residence on social media.
Poonawalla has been criticising the ethanol blending programme and Union Minister Nitin Gadkari for several weeks. It also noted that his earlier proposal to organise a larger march near Parliament Street had been withdrawn after Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri met his representatives and sought more time.
Heavy security deployment near Constitution Club
The issue also saw heightened security arrangements outside the Constitution Club, where Kejriwal addressed supporters at the National Town Hall Against E20.
AAP leaders pointed to a large deployment of security personnel outside the venue before the programme began. The report cited AAP leader Saurabh Bhardwaj as saying that personnel from the Rapid Action Force, CRPF and Delhi Police, including women officers, had been stationed outside the Constitution Club ahead of the march.
The town hall was attended by people from Delhi and neighbouring states, with many participants sharing their concerns over the impact of E20 fuel on their vehicles, according to PTI.
Kejriwal announces August 4 march to PM’s residence
Using the town hall as a platform to escalate his campaign, Kejriwal announced that he would personally lead a march to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s residence on August 4.
According to PTI, the former Delhi chief minister said petitions opposing the E20 policy would be collected at noon on Tuesday before he and around 100 people proceed towards Lok Kalyan Marg to submit them to the Prime Minister.
Kejriwal said the online petition against the policy had crossed two lakh signatures and that printouts of those petitions would be submitted to the Prime Minister.
The report also said Kejriwal invited volunteers to participate in the march by contacting him through social media.
AAP demands consumer choice at fuel stations
The central demand raised by the AAP during the campaign is that motorists should have the option of purchasing either regular petrol or ethanol-blended petrol.
According to PTI, Kejriwal urged the government to allow consumers to choose between pure petrol and E20 at fuel stations instead of making ethanol-blended fuel the default option.
He also demanded that E20-blended petrol should be priced lower than regular petrol and called for a reduction in petrol prices.
AAP leader Saurabh Bhardwaj echoed the demand while speaking to ANI. He said consumers should be able to decide whether to purchase pure petrol or ethanol-blended fuel at petrol pumps.
Bhardwaj said the town hall was intended to bring together people from Delhi and neighbouring states to express concerns over the policy. He also referred to petitions submitted by citizens seeking the availability of pure petrol and said many people believed ethanol-blended fuel was reducing fuel efficiency and damaging vehicle fuel systems.
Kejriwal questions Centre’s claims
During the town hall, Kejriwal questioned the basis of the Centre’s claims regarding E20 fuel and sought greater transparency over the studies relied upon by the government.
According to PTI, he asked the government to make public the report that it cited while maintaining that E20 does not damage vehicles.
ANI reported that Kejriwal also questioned what he described as inconsistencies in statements made by different ministries regarding the impact of ethanol-blended petrol. He alleged that no significant study had been carried out and claimed that the policy was being imposed on people despite concerns over reduced mileage and damage to vehicles.
The AAP leader also questioned why the government was pursuing the policy despite these concerns.
Trade deal allegation adds political dimension
The campaign also acquired an international dimension after Kejriwal linked the ethanol policy to India’s trade engagement with the United States.
He alleged that the E20 rollout was connected to a recently concluded India-US trade arrangement and claimed the policy was being implemented to benefit American ethanol exports.
The report said Kejriwal argued that ethanol imports into India could increase sharply and contended that the policy would benefit the United States at the expense of Indian consumers.
Kejriwal dismissed suggestions that the programme was intended to benefit Union Minister Nitin Gadkari’s family, saying he did not believe that was the reason behind the policy.
Centre rejects allegations against E20
The Union Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has strongly defended the E20 programme.
Earlier this week, the ministry dismissed what it described as misleading claims regarding ethanol-blended petrol and said there was no verified evidence of widespread engine damage resulting from the use of E20 fuel.
According to ANI, the ministry said its conclusions were based on more than 25 years of phased implementation, continuous monitoring and consultations with stakeholders.
Responding to concerns regarding older vehicles, the ministry cited service data from a leading automobile manufacturer covering 2.84 crore vehicles during FY2025-26, including nearly 1.5 crore vehicles that were not originally certified as E20-compatible. It said the data did not show E20-related corrosion, abnormal wear or reduced component life.
The ministry has maintained that its assessment is supported by scientific studies as well as extensive real-world usage across crores of vehicles.
Political confrontation likely to intensify
With Kejriwal announcing a march to the Prime Minister’s residence, Poonawalla alleging restrictions on his planned protest, and the Centre standing by the ethanol blending programme, the E20 issue has emerged as the latest point of political confrontation.
The August 4 march announced by the AAP is expected to be the next major mobilisation around the issue, even as the government continues to defend the policy’s safety and implementation, setting the stage for a sharper political contest over India’s ethanol blending programme
