'Will pure petrol come from your father's house': BJP MP Janardan Mishra defends ethanol policy

Amid the ongoing controversy over the blending of ethanol in petrol in the country, BJP MP from Rewa, Janardan Mishra, on Sunday defended the Centre’s ethanol policy and asked its opponents, “Will pure petrol come from your father's house?”

Addressing an event to inaugurate new flight services from Rewa to Bhopal and Kolkata, Mishra said that India produces only 20 per cent of crude oil, while 80 per cent has to be imported from abroad.

Citing the global geo-political situation, the BJP MP claimed that ships have to travel an additional distance of approximately 18,000 km to supply oil.

“In such a situation, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi talks about blending 20 per cent ethanol in petrol, some people start protesting.”

“A movement is underway claiming that ethanol won't work, pure petrol will. Will pure petrol come from your father's house? If there's no pure petrol in the country, where will it come from?" he said.

Mishra also said that vehicles in India can run on ethanol blending, but some people are saying don’t use it.

“If ethanol is not produced, where will petrol come from, where will diesel come from?”

Defending ethanol blending in petrol, he claimed that in Brazil, vehicles run on 100 per cent ethanol, and there are no problems with vehicles there.

Brazil produces maximum ethanol in the world, which is why vehicles there run on 100 per cent ethanol, he said.

Mishra, who often makes headlines for his controversial comments, said that experts in India also believe that ethanol does not harm vehicle engines, yet there is “unnecessary” opposition to it.

He also claimed that if there is any place in the world today where inflation is the lowest and employment is highest, it is in India.