What was a hardcore BJP supporter doing at E20 petrol protest in Delhi?
New Delhi's Jantar Mantar became the ground for the first protest against the Centre's decision to make the sale of 20% ethanol-blended (E20) petrol mandatory. Among the protesters were ardent BJP supporters and a person who said he had been linked to the RSS for decades.
On Sunday afternoon amid drizzles, a small group of people gathered to hold a protest against the Centre's 20% ethanol-blending (E20) mandate. The organisers repeatedly highlighted that the protest was "apolitical" and stemmed from the concerns of car owners. Among the dozens of protesters were also some BJP supporters and a person who said he had been associated with the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) for decades now. Like the others, they too weren't against India's Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) programme, but rather how that was being implemented.
While social media has been flooded with claims, this was the first event in which car owners brought their concerns offline.
The Centre has junked the claims of a drop in mileage and damage to vehicle parts because of E20 petrol. Ahead of Sunday's protest, a group of experts from the automobile and energy sectors defended the government's ethanol-blending programme. They claimed extensive testing had found no evidence that E20 poses concerns for vehicles.
Mumbai resident Raju Ashar claimed that E20 petrol was responsible for a dip in mileage. He said consumers in India needed to be given a choice of petrol variants by the government.
A self-described supporter of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP, Ashar insisted that backing a party did not mean accepting every policy without questioning or criticism. "We are not blind supporters. We criticise what is wrong. This is a wrong policy being implemented. As a supporter and a voter of the BJP, I cannot support this move of the government," he told India Today Digital.
People are concerned that their E10-compliant vehicles aren't meant to handle the higher blending of ethanol in petrol.
The government has repeatedly tried to assure people that E20 petrol is safe for their vehicles.
Car owners and automobile enthusiasts, however, contested the government's arguments. Several of them spoke to India Today Digital at the protest site on Sunday. The protest was led by entrepreneur and TV personality Tehseen Poonawalla under the banner Team Bharat. Rally driver Ratan Dhillon from Team Bharat was among the auto enthusiasts who highlighted the mechanical concerns from ethanol-blended petrol in vehicles.
Sharing the India Today article on X, Poonawalla wrote that co-founder of Team Bharat Dinesh Tantia was also a "hard-core BJP loyalist".
BIG MILEAGE DROP EVEN IN E20-COMPATIBLE VEHICLES, CLAIMS CAR OWNER
A motor enthusiast, Ashar said he owned a Maruti Suzuki Jimny, an E20-compatible vehicle, and a Royal Enfield Himalayan motorcycle. Despite owning vehicles compatible with ethanol-blended fuel, he claimed both had suffered a noticeable drop in fuel efficiency.
"My Jimny and Himalayan have both witnessed a mileage drop, and there are engine knocking issues as well," Ashar claimed.
The ardent BJP supporter had a challenge for Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari, who has become the face of India's ethanol-blending mission. "I dare Gadkari to join me for an ethanol test and I will prove to him that vehicles are actually getting damaged by ethanol-blended fuel. There is a drop in mileage and the engines are suffering wear and tear," Ashar said.
"He [Gadkari] talks about saving money through ethanol blending. I would urge him to build proper highways with no potholes. That will automatically help in saving fuel and the results will be seen on the ground," he said.
The "BJP voter" also expressed fears that the fast-tracking of the ethanol-blending programme could end up hurting the government politically.
What Ashar said had been expressed by people on social media. Several influencers who were seen as backers of the government have been critical of the ethanol policy.
One of the volunteers of Team Bharat, the organiser of the protest, at Jantar Mantar on Sunday was a person from Maharashtra who said he had been associated with the RSS for decades.
The person requested anonymity while speaking to India Today Digital.
He said the demonstration "reflected growing public concern over the ethanol policy". "This protest is the need of the hour. It is high time that the government listens to the demands of the protesters and makes some changes to the policy," he added.
WHY PEOPLE ARE PROTESTING AGAINST ETHANOL-BLENDING PROGRAMME?
India had targeted to attain 20% blending of ethanol in petrol or E20 petrol by 2030, but achieved the target in December 2025, five years ahead of schedule, itself.
Under the EBP programme, ethanol blending has increased from less than 1.5% in 2013-14 to 20% in 2025-26.
India imports around 90% of the petroleum it needs, and ethanol blending is seen as a way of reducing that import and saving invaluable forex reserves.
People, including the BJP supporters, are seemingly not against the ethanol-blending policy, but how it is being implemented. Like one of the BJP supporters we met at Jantar Mantar on Sunday, they say that E20 petrol is being forced into their E10-compliant cars, and they don't have a choice of fuel.
Another BJP supporter said he had filled E20 fuel in his E10 car to reach the protest site.
Cars before April 2023 in India were only E10 compliant, meaning they were suitable for using 10% ethanol in 90% petrol. Over 80% of cars in India as of 2024 weren't E20 compliant, according to a report by Context Journalism of Thomson Reuters.
The protesters at Jantar Mantar, including Tehseen Poonawalla, reiterated over and over again that the problem wasn't with ethanol-blended fuel, but that the implementation was rushed.
A doctor from Moradabad who travelled to Delhi to attend the protest said he faced a drop in mileage despite maintaining his car in "mint condition".
"Despite maintaining my car very well, I am noticing a big drop in mileage," said the doctor, who was apprehensive about revealing his name. "I am a man of science. I don't make statements without verifying the facts," he added.
BJP BACKERS ONLINE ANGER NOW BEING SEEN ON STREETS
Pro-government people and BJP-backing handles are asking for a rethink of the implementation of the ethanol-blending policy, giving fuel choices to the people. Some are suggesting that the party still has time to "make corrections".
"The bedrock of economic progress is choice, not coercion. A sensible approach would be to offer consumers a choice and reserve mandatory E20 only during energy emergencies," wrote Anand Ranganathan, professor at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), New Delhi, on X. He also shared a video message about the "five scientific arguments on why the costs of E20 blending far outweigh its benefits".
"Ethanol will hurt the BJP electorally, not because of car owners, the are just 8% of the population, but because of bike owners, who make up 60%," said The Skin Doctor. "It's up to the BJP to smell the coffee. The issue is no longer on Twitter and no longer raised just by English-speaking metro car owners. It has gone to the ground. There is still time to wake up and make corrections," he added.
Randeep Sisodia, author of The Crusader, How Modi Won 2019 Elections, wrote on X, "BJP IT cell and their extended masterstroke handles coming out vehemently opposing and even mocking common citizens' concerns with E20 is in very bad taste."
"If they can’t empathise with people, at least they should maintain silence, as it is quite clear that they simply don’t have the answers to people’s basic concerns," Sisodia wrote.
Businesswoman Renuka Jain, who has been a big supporter of the BJP, shared her experience of her Land Rover Defender allegedly developing problems after refuelling during a trip to Kasauli. She claimed the dealership later told her the fuel tank had been affected and questioned why the issue was not receiving greater political attention.
Meher Kilaru, who claims to be a critic of the Congress, posted on X that he felt "forced" to use E20 fuel because zero-ethanol petrol was either unavailable or prohibitively expensive. Kilaru claimed his car was "choking and dying a slow death" because of the policy.
While a few dozen gathered at Jantar Mantar on Sunday to protest against the policy, it was the comments of the supporters of the BJP online and offline that showed the debate over the ethanol-blending policy wasn't about politics. It was the expression of concern among ordinary citizens who had invested in a vehicle and were worried about it.
On Sunday afternoon amid drizzles, a small group of people gathered to hold a protest against the Centre's 20% ethanol-blending (E20) mandate. The organisers repeatedly highlighted that the protest was "apolitical" and stemmed from the concerns of car owners. Among the dozens of protesters were also some BJP supporters and a person who said he had been associated with the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) for decades now. Like the others, they too weren't against India's Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) programme, but rather how that was being implemented.
While social media has been flooded with claims, this was the first event in which car owners brought their concerns offline.
The Centre has junked the claims of a drop in mileage and damage to vehicle parts because of E20 petrol. Ahead of Sunday's protest, a group of experts from the automobile and energy sectors defended the government's ethanol-blending programme. They claimed extensive testing had found no evidence that E20 poses concerns for vehicles.
Mumbai resident Raju Ashar claimed that E20 petrol was responsible for a dip in mileage. He said consumers in India needed to be given a choice of petrol variants by the government.
A self-described supporter of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP, Ashar insisted that backing a party did not mean accepting every policy without questioning or criticism. "We are not blind supporters. We criticise what is wrong. This is a wrong policy being implemented. As a supporter and a voter of the BJP, I cannot support this move of the government," he told India Today Digital.
People are concerned that their E10-compliant vehicles aren't meant to handle the higher blending of ethanol in petrol.
The government has repeatedly tried to assure people that E20 petrol is safe for their vehicles.
Car owners and automobile enthusiasts, however, contested the government's arguments. Several of them spoke to India Today Digital at the protest site on Sunday. The protest was led by entrepreneur and TV personality Tehseen Poonawalla under the banner Team Bharat. Rally driver Ratan Dhillon from Team Bharat was among the auto enthusiasts who highlighted the mechanical concerns from ethanol-blended petrol in vehicles.
Sharing the India Today article on X, Poonawalla wrote that co-founder of Team Bharat Dinesh Tantia was also a "hard-core BJP loyalist".
BIG MILEAGE DROP EVEN IN E20-COMPATIBLE VEHICLES, CLAIMS CAR OWNER
A motor enthusiast, Ashar said he owned a Maruti Suzuki Jimny, an E20-compatible vehicle, and a Royal Enfield Himalayan motorcycle. Despite owning vehicles compatible with ethanol-blended fuel, he claimed both had suffered a noticeable drop in fuel efficiency.
"My Jimny and Himalayan have both witnessed a mileage drop, and there are engine knocking issues as well," Ashar claimed.
The ardent BJP supporter had a challenge for Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari, who has become the face of India's ethanol-blending mission. "I dare Gadkari to join me for an ethanol test and I will prove to him that vehicles are actually getting damaged by ethanol-blended fuel. There is a drop in mileage and the engines are suffering wear and tear," Ashar said.
"He [Gadkari] talks about saving money through ethanol blending. I would urge him to build proper highways with no potholes. That will automatically help in saving fuel and the results will be seen on the ground," he said.
The "BJP voter" also expressed fears that the fast-tracking of the ethanol-blending programme could end up hurting the government politically.
What Ashar said had been expressed by people on social media. Several influencers who were seen as backers of the government have been critical of the ethanol policy.
One of the volunteers of Team Bharat, the organiser of the protest, at Jantar Mantar on Sunday was a person from Maharashtra who said he had been associated with the RSS for decades.
The person requested anonymity while speaking to India Today Digital.
He said the demonstration "reflected growing public concern over the ethanol policy". "This protest is the need of the hour. It is high time that the government listens to the demands of the protesters and makes some changes to the policy," he added.
WHY PEOPLE ARE PROTESTING AGAINST ETHANOL-BLENDING PROGRAMME?
India had targeted to attain 20% blending of ethanol in petrol or E20 petrol by 2030, but achieved the target in December 2025, five years ahead of schedule, itself.
Under the EBP programme, ethanol blending has increased from less than 1.5% in 2013-14 to 20% in 2025-26.
India imports around 90% of the petroleum it needs, and ethanol blending is seen as a way of reducing that import and saving invaluable forex reserves.
People, including the BJP supporters, are seemingly not against the ethanol-blending policy, but how it is being implemented. Like one of the BJP supporters we met at Jantar Mantar on Sunday, they say that E20 petrol is being forced into their E10-compliant cars, and they don't have a choice of fuel.
Another BJP supporter said he had filled E20 fuel in his E10 car to reach the protest site.
Cars before April 2023 in India were only E10 compliant, meaning they were suitable for using 10% ethanol in 90% petrol. Over 80% of cars in India as of 2024 weren't E20 compliant, according to a report by Context Journalism of Thomson Reuters.
The protesters at Jantar Mantar, including Tehseen Poonawalla, reiterated over and over again that the problem wasn't with ethanol-blended fuel, but that the implementation was rushed.
A doctor from Moradabad who travelled to Delhi to attend the protest said he faced a drop in mileage despite maintaining his car in "mint condition".
"Despite maintaining my car very well, I am noticing a big drop in mileage," said the doctor, who was apprehensive about revealing his name. "I am a man of science. I don't make statements without verifying the facts," he added.
BJP BACKERS ONLINE ANGER NOW BEING SEEN ON STREETS
Pro-government people and BJP-backing handles are asking for a rethink of the implementation of the ethanol-blending policy, giving fuel choices to the people. Some are suggesting that the party still has time to "make corrections".
"The bedrock of economic progress is choice, not coercion. A sensible approach would be to offer consumers a choice and reserve mandatory E20 only during energy emergencies," wrote Anand Ranganathan, professor at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), New Delhi, on X. He also shared a video message about the "five scientific arguments on why the costs of E20 blending far outweigh its benefits".
"Ethanol will hurt the BJP electorally, not because of car owners, the are just 8% of the population, but because of bike owners, who make up 60%," said The Skin Doctor. "It's up to the BJP to smell the coffee. The issue is no longer on Twitter and no longer raised just by English-speaking metro car owners. It has gone to the ground. There is still time to wake up and make corrections," he added.
Randeep Sisodia, author of The Crusader, How Modi Won 2019 Elections, wrote on X, "BJP IT cell and their extended masterstroke handles coming out vehemently opposing and even mocking common citizens' concerns with E20 is in very bad taste."
"If they can’t empathise with people, at least they should maintain silence, as it is quite clear that they simply don’t have the answers to people’s basic concerns," Sisodia wrote.
Businesswoman Renuka Jain, who has been a big supporter of the BJP, shared her experience of her Land Rover Defender allegedly developing problems after refuelling during a trip to Kasauli. She claimed the dealership later told her the fuel tank had been affected and questioned why the issue was not receiving greater political attention.
Meher Kilaru, who claims to be a critic of the Congress, posted on X that he felt "forced" to use E20 fuel because zero-ethanol petrol was either unavailable or prohibitively expensive. Kilaru claimed his car was "choking and dying a slow death" because of the policy.
While a few dozen gathered at Jantar Mantar on Sunday to protest against the policy, it was the comments of the supporters of the BJP online and offline that showed the debate over the ethanol-blending policy wasn't about politics. It was the expression of concern among ordinary citizens who had invested in a vehicle and were worried about it.
