E20 turned into 420-petrol chori from public’s cars: Rahul slams Govt
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday (November 7, 2026) attacked the Modi government over the introduction of E20 petrol, citing test results of samples taken by the Karnataka government and asked the Center to verify the actual ethanol content of the fuel sold across the country.
In a post in Hindi on X, Mr Gandhi said: “E20 changed to 420 – stealing petrol from public cars!” The reference was to Section 420 of the former Indian Penal Code, which dealt with cheating.
E20 will be changed to 420 – Gasoline stolen from public vehicles! Modi government says – Petrol contains 20% ethanol. The Karnataka government collected petrol samples from 7 districts and got them tested in a recognized laboratory. Look at the result – more than 20% ethanol in 11 out of 14 samples – 31.2% in IOCL, 30.5% in HPCL – IOCL, HPCL, BPCL, Nayara, Shell – whether govt or private – all above the limit – and the companies own payment labs didn’t even write the amount of ethanol in the petrol tank, which means you put ethanol in the petrol tank, which means Whose loss? Your. Your car isn’t built to digest that much ethanol – which means lower mileage, frequent mechanic visits. Garbage from the car taken as a hobby. And it is not even written on the pump what is put in the tank – no choice. Modi ji, tell me – what is being filled in the earth’s tank? How much ethanol is actually in gasoline? When will action be taken against companies that cheat more than 20%? And the call for discussion continues. This will also add to the problem – who actually benefits from your policies?
—Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) November 7, 2026
Mr Gandhi said the government claims petrol contains 20% ethanol, but tests carried out on samples taken from seven districts in Karnataka revealed higher levels.
“Karnataka government collected petrol samples from 7 districts and got them tested in an accredited laboratory. Look at the results – 11 out of 14 samples contained more than 20% ethanol; 31.2% for IOCL, 30.5% for HPCL; IOCL, HPCL, BPCL, Nayara, Shell, whatever exceeded the state-owned limit.
Also Read: Lab tests show ethanol blend in E20 petrol up to 31% in Karnataka.
He also claimed that the companies’ own labs failed to report the ethanol content.
Mr. Gandhi argued that excessive ethanol blending can affect vehicle performance, resulting in lower mileage and higher maintenance costs. He also questioned the absence of labels at gas stations with the content of ethanol in gasoline.
“Modi ji, tell us – what is being put in the country’s tank? How much ethanol is actually in petrol? When will action be taken against companies that blend more than 20% ethanol?” he said.
Mr Gandhi also reiterated his call to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for an open debate, saying the issue of ethanol blending could be included in the discussion.
His remarks came a day after the Karnataka government alleged that major oil marketing companies (OMCs) were supplying petrol with ethanol content exceeding the prescribed 20% limit, with tests recording levels as high as 31.2%. She sought legal action against the companies.
At a press conference, Karnataka Minister for Food, Civil Supplies, Consumer Affairs and Legal Metrology Rizwan Arshad said that the allegations are based on tests conducted on samples collected from Bengaluru, Kolar, Chikkaballapura, Bengaluru Rural, Ramanagara, Mangaluru and Tumakuru.
According to test results issued by National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories accredited and ISO certified Shriram Research Institute in Bengaluru, samples from Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) recorded ethanol content of 31.2% and 30.5% respectively.
The minister said samples taken from major fuel companies revealed ethanol content exceeding 20%.
However, state OMCs Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), Bharat Petroleum Corporation (BPCL) and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation (HPCL) contested the Karnataka government’s claims and questioned the sampling and testing procedures used to arrive at the findings.
The three companies said the E20 petrol supplied in their retail networks, including in Karnataka, conforms to the Bureau of Indian Standards’ IS 17021 specifications, which prescribe an ethanol content of 19-21%.
In a joint statement, the companies said the findings cited by the Karnataka government were not supported by tests conducted in accordance with prescribed legal and technical procedures. They also questioned the use of third-party laboratory certificates, saying these did not reveal sufficient detail about the testing methodology to independently verify the reported ethanol levels.
India’s ethanol blending program, which began as a pilot initiative in 2001, aims to reduce dependence on imported oil, strengthen domestic agricultural value chains and improve energy security.
The program has been scaled up through successive policy interventions, including the National Biofuels Policy, 2018 and NITI Aayog’s Ethanol Blending Plan.
According to petroleum ministry data cited by OMC, the program has generated foreign exchange savings of over ₹1.97 crore since the ethanol supply year 2014-15, replaced around 316 million metric tonnes of crude oil, reduced carbon dioxide emissions by around 952 million metric tonnes and resulted in payments of ₹6.6 crore to farmers
During the ethanol supply year 2025-26 ending 31 October 2026, the three public sector OMCs procured 1,089 million liters of ethanol and blended 1,134 million liters against petrol sales of around 5,673 million litres.
Published – November 7, 2026 12:59 PM IST