‘E20 turned into 420’: Rahul Gandhi alleges petrol samples from K'taka exceed limit

NEW DELHI: Lok Sabha LoP and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday alleged that petrol companies were supplying fuel with ethanol content exceeding the mandated 20% limit, citing laboratory tests of samples collected from seven districts in Karnataka. In a post on X, Gandhi claimed that 11 of the 14 petrol samples tested at an accredited laboratory contained more than 20% ethanol. He cited samples from Indian Oil Corporation (IOCL) and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation (HPCL), which allegedly recorded ethanol levels of 31.2% and 30.5%, respectively. "E20 turned into 420 - stealing petrol from the public's cars!" Gandhi said, accusing both government-owned and private oil companies, including IOCL, HPCL, BPCL, Nayara and Shell, of exceeding the prescribed limit. He also alleged that the companies' own laboratories had failed to report the ethanol content in the samples.

Challenges for a debate Questioning the impact on consumers, Gandhi said higher ethanol blending could affect vehicle mileage and increase maintenance costs, claiming that cars not designed to handle such fuel could suffer damage. He further questioned the absence of clear labelling at petrol pumps, arguing that consumers were not being given information about the actual ethanol content of the fuel they purchased. "You're paying for expensive petrol, but ethanol is being pumped into your tank. Who loses out? You," he said. Also read: More than 30% ethanol in E20, says Karnataka minister Gandhi asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to clarify the actual ethanol content in petrol supplied across the country and explain what action would be taken against companies allegedly exceeding the 20% limit. "Modi ji, tell us - what's being put in the country's tank? How much ethanol is actually in the petrol? When will action be taken against companies mixing more than 20% ethanol?" he asked. The Congress leader also reiterated his challenge to debate the government, saying the issue of ethanol blending would be added to the discussion on whose interests the government's policies serve.