Gadkari wanted one ethanol victim, we will present six: Protesters on E20 challenge

The challenge has been accepted. A day after Union Minister Nitin Gadkari asked critics of the E20 petrol rollout to present one victim of ethanol-blended fuel, protesters on Thursday said they would present not one but six such people. Their only condition: Gadkari should meet them before mediapersons. The Minister for Road Transport and Highways in an exclusive interview dared the ethanol critics.

The government has made the sale of petrol blended with 20% ethanol or E20 mandatory. With around 80% of vehicles compatible with just E10, people have been claiming that they were witnessing not just a drop in mileage but also wear and tear in their vehicles. The Centre has junked these claims and fielded experts to assure people that E20 was fine even for their E10 vehicles, which the critics are refusing to buy.

Activist and entrepreneur Tehseen Poonawalla, who led the first protest against E20 fuel at New Delhi's Jantar Mantar last Sunday under the banner of Team Bharat, accepted Gadkari's challenge and issued a video message. He had



earlier planned to take the E20 victims to Gadkari's residence but said that Delhi Police had contacted him and asked him to refrain from reaching the minister's house.

"We accepted the challenge of Nitin Gadkari ji and, according to his challenge, wanted to meet such people whose cars have developed some problem due to E20... We have six such people, but we cannot arrange a meeting with Nitin Gadkari ji. We absolutely cannot go to his house. If we go, we will be detained or arrested," said Poonawalla.

In the video message, Poonawalla said, "Sir, you are the one who gave this challenge, but we cannot meet you? Either Delhi Police should arrange a meeting with you, or you should give us an appointment. But we have only one condition — that any appointment or conversation or discussion should be in front of the media and live-streamed. We will show you those people whose cars have problems [from E20 fuel]."

"I have people with me whose cars have developed issues. Please give me an appointment," he added.