Panaji: AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Monday announced that he would participate in a Town Hall in Goa on Tuesday to raise concerns over the use of E20 petrol, alleging that the fuel blend was damaging vehicle engines and affecting mileage.
Addressing a press conference in Panaji, Kejriwal said he had received thousands of messages and comments from people after releasing a video seeking public views on the issue.
“Because of this, people’s engines are getting damaged, fuel systems are being affected, and people are experiencing a substantial drop in mileage,” he alleged.
Kejriwal said he had appealed to people through a video to write to him and get in touch with his team regarding their experiences with E20 petrol.
“We received thousands of WhatsApp messages and thousands of comments. People are ready to join us,” he said.
The AAP leader also linked the ethanol blending policy to rising sugar prices, alleging that sugarcane equivalent to nearly 25 lakh tonnes of sugar had been diverted for ethanol production.
He claimed that sugar prices had increased from around Rs 45 per kg on July 31 to more than Rs 70 per kg, representing an increase of about Rs 25 per kg within a month.
“There may be slight variations in different places, but now it has crossed Rs 70 per kg. In just one month, sugar prices have increased by Rs 25 per kg,” Kejriwal said.
He alleged that the government should have anticipated a shortage of sugar after diverting sugarcane for ethanol production.
“When they started diverting sugarcane for ethanol, their experts should at least have calculated that if so much sugarcane was being diverted for ethanol production, there would be a corresponding shortage of sugar. Where would the sugar come from?” he asked.
Kejriwal also claimed that the policy had failed to deliver the foreign exchange savings that were projected from reducing petrol consumption through ethanol blending.
“Now, with that foreign exchange, we are importing sugar and meals. So, whatever was supposedly saved here, there has been no saving of foreign exchange,” he alleged.
He further alleged that people across the country were suffering because of what he termed “adulterated petrol”, while sugar had also become more expensive.
Kejriwal sharply criticised the Narendra Modi government over its policies and said, “I don’t think there has ever been a more foolish and stupid government in the last 75 years than this one.”
He announced that a Town Hall would be held in Goa on Tuesday at 3 pm to discuss the E20 petrol issue and invited people to participate.
