Kejriwal’s march over E20 petrol to PM residence stopped

Arvind Kejriwal and around 100 AAP supporters marched toward Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s residence on Tuesday carrying over 2.30 lakh petitions against E20 ethanol-blended petrol but were stopped by Delhi Police. The delegation sat down on the road near 5, Firoz Shah Road demanding their petitions be accepted before police eventually took custody of the documents after informing the group that the Prime Minister would not meet them.

The march included former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh, AAP leader Jasmine Shah, and other party leaders. Protesters carried bundles of petitions on their heads and raised slogans against the Centre’s ethanol-blended fuel policy. A police officer said no one would be allowed beyond 5, Firoz Shah Road. “We have deployed adequate security, including Delhi Police and paramilitary forces, to maintain law and order,” the officer said.

After the protest, Kejriwal said at a press conference that the party had sought an appointment with the Prime Minister a month ago and received no response, and that the refusal to meet the delegation reflected a dictatorial attitude. He said the petitions had been sent to the Prime Minister’s Office.

Kejriwal also announced that AAP legislators in Gujarat, Goa, and Jammu and Kashmir will move resolutions in their respective assemblies seeking withdrawal of the E20 policy, following a similar resolution passed in the Punjab Assembly. He said if required, the party would launch a larger public movement against the policy.

Delhi BJP President Harsh Malhotra said the march played out exactly as he had publicly predicted the previous day. “Exactly as I had predicted yesterday, Arvind Kejriwal today claimed that he had been stopped by the police and staged a nearly half-hour protest outside his office,” Malhotra said. He said Kejriwal’s only objective is politics and that the former Chief Minister is fully aware ethanol-blended petrol is the need of the hour. He accused Kejriwal of staging the march simply to remain in the headlines, with an eye on AAP’s prospects in the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections.

Malhotra also challenged Kejriwal to produce verified evidence of vehicle damage. Despite repeated demands, Kejriwal has been unable to produce even 100 vehicles accompanied by a certified automobile engineer’s report confirming that E20 petrol caused damage to them, Malhotra said. He said vehicle owners across India understand that ethanol-blended petrol is the fuel of the future and will not be misled by Kejriwal.

The E20 policy mandates blending 20 per cent ethanol with petrol as part of India’s push to reduce oil imports and promote domestic ethanol production. Critics argue the blended fuel causes engine performance issues in older vehicles not designed for high-ethanol fuel and that consumers are not being offered a choice between blended and pure petrol at pumps.

Delhi Transport Bodies Protest Against E20 Petrol

New Delhi: Delhi-based transport bodies held a protest at Rajghat on Tuesday demanding the withdrawal of ethanol-blended petrol.

Earlier, the call had been given by the Delhi Taxi and Tourist Transporters and Tour Operators Association and others to hold a protest march to Parliament from Jantar Mantar. “But as no permission was given by Delhi Police, we decided to go to Rajghat and offer our prayers to Mahatma Gandhi. To maintain peace and order, we appealed to all transporters to exercise restraint and follow the path of truth and non-violence and adopt the spirit of ‘Gandhigiri’, “Sanjay Samrat, president, Delhi Taxi and Tourist Transporters and Tour Operators Association said.

If the Association’s demands are not addressed seriously, we will launch a nationwide public awareness campaign and organise a large peaceful demonstration at Jantar Mantar in the near future, he added.