New Delhi, Aug. 4: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday stepped up his campaign against the Centre’s E20 fuel policy, urging Prime Minister Narendra Modi to stop importing ethanol from the United States.
Leading the AAP’s protest in Delhi, Kejriwal alleged that India should not compromise its national interests under pressure from US President Donald Trump. He also called on the Central Government to make its ethanol policy more transparent.
Kejriwal demanded that consumers be allowed to choose between regular petrol and E20 fuel, claiming that the mandatory use of E20 could affect vehicle owners and create concerns for motorists.The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), however, rejected Kejriwal’s allegations and defended the ethanol blending programme.
The party said the policy is aimed at reducing India’s dependence on imported crude oil, improving energy security, and promoting the use of cleaner fuel.The issue has sparked a fresh political debate, with the AAP seeking changes to the policy while the Centre maintains that ethanol blending is an important step towards strengthening India’s energy sector and reducing fuel imports.