Panaji (Goa) [India], August 25 (ANI): AAP National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday stepped up his attack on the Centre's nationwide rollout of E20 petrol, alleging that auto majors are being forced to stay silent on its risks.
Addressing a press conference in Goa ahead of a town hall on the issue, Kejriwal claimed top officials of leading car and bike companies have privately admitted that E20 fuel can cause severe damage to vehicles manufactured before 2023, but are refusing to speak publicly due to government pressure.
Kejriwal said he wrote letters to 29 automobile manufacturing companies, asking them whether E20 fuel could be safely used in vehicles manufactured by them before 2023. He said he received no response to the letters.
"I wrote letters to 29 auto manufacturing companies. I asked them whether E20 fuel could be safely used in vehicles they had manufactured prior to 2023. I received no response," Kejriwal said.
He said he subsequently spoke to officials from nine automobile companies, who, according to him, spoke candidly about the issue but requested that their identities and the names of their companies not be disclosed.
According to Kejriwal, the officials told him that E20 is a "very dangerous fuel" and that using it in petrol-based vehicles manufactured before 2023 would be "extremely hazardous" for those vehicles.
However, he claimed that the officials were unwilling to speak publicly about the issue because they were under pressure from the Central Government.
"They stated that E20 is a very dangerous fuel and using it in petrol-based vehicles manufactured before 2023 would be extremely hazardous for the vehicles," Kejriwal said.
He further alleged that the automobile company officials feared that speaking against E20 could result in action by central investigative and tax agencies.
"However, they said they could not speak out publicly because they are under immense pressure from the Central Government, and speaking against E20 could trigger raids by the ED, CBI, or Income Tax Department against them, or even lead to the closure of their plants," he said.
Kejriwal also claimed that the officials were being "harassed in various ways" and therefore did not want their identities or company names to be made public.
His remarks came in the context of concerns over the use of E20 fuel in petrol vehicles manufactured before 2023.
The AAP leader did not disclose the names of the companies or the officials he said he had spoken to.
Opposing the Centre's forced rollout of E20 fuel (20% ethanol, 80% petrol), the Aam Aadmi Party said the blend has triggered complaints of reduced mileage, engine damage and early wear of fuel components, with pre-2023 vehicles being the worst hit.
Kejriwal's remarks come as part of AAP's series of town halls across major states. The party has been demanding that the Central Government reinstate consumer choice at petrol pumps by offering standard petrol alongside ethanol blends. (ANI)
"E20 fuel hazardous for pre-2023 vehicles, auto firms silenced by fear of raids": Arvind Kejriwal
