Congress Protests at Karnataka Petrol Pumps Over Excess Ethanol Blending

The Congress on Monday staged protests at several petrol bunks across Bengaluru, alleging that ethanol was being blended with petrol beyond the prescribed 20 per cent limit.

The party demanded that the Centre immediately suspend the ethanol blending programme.

Party workers, led by leader S Manohar, held demonstrations at Nehru Circle and other places, including in front of Mantri Mall in Malleswaram. They displayed posters and sought to make motorists aware of the alleged



excess blending.

The protesters claimed that what was being promoted as E20 was actually ‘E420’, a reference to deception in the name of ethanol blending.

They alleged that petrol samples tested by the Karnataka government showed ethanol content of 21 to 30 per cent, and that some claims put it above 35 per cent.

Manohar alleged that the laboratory findings had exposed the extent of the blending, and said the Congress had been raising the issue for long.