Kejriwal vs Malviya: War of words erupts over E20 petrol's impact

A war of words broke out between AAP's Arvind Kejriwal and BJP's Amit Malviya over E20 petrol. Kejriwal alleged the fuel harms vehicles, citing user complaints, while Malviya accused him of spreading fear and defended the government's policy.

A war of words erupted on social media between Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener Arvind Kejriwal and BJP's IT Cell head Amit Malviya over the impact of E20 (20% ethanol-blended) petrol on vehicles in the country. Responding to Malviya's claims on X, the former Delhi Chief Minister accused the BJP leader of peddling misinformation provided by the central government. "Many of your facts are wrong. Your government keeps pushing you forward by feeding you wrong facts. The disgrace is yours," Kejriwal posted on X.

BJP Accuses Kejriwal of 'Spreading Lies and Fear'

The retort came after Amit Malviya earlier in the day accused Kejriwal of engaging in "politics of spreading lies and fear" regarding the transition to ethanol-blended fuels, after Kejriwal visited petrol pumps on Saturday. Malviya argued that if vehicles were breaking down on a large scale due to E20 fuel, the country's transport system would have already collapsed. "Arvind Kejriwal is once again engaging in the politics of spreading lies and fear. If vehicles were truly breaking down on a large scale due to E20, then over the past five years, the roads across the country would have been choked with stalled cars and two-wheelers," Malviya stated.

Malviya Cites Fuel Availability Timeline

Defending the government's ethanol blending roadmap, Malviya provided a timeline of fuel availability, claiming that E15 has been available since 2021 and E20 since April 2025. "The truth is that E15 has been available since 2021, E19 since 2024, and E20 since April 2025. Today, nearly 2.5 crore petrol cars and over 20 crore two-wheelers are running on E15+ blended fuel," the BJP leader added.

Second-Hand Market as Evidence

Malviya further pointed toward the thriving second-hand automobile market as evidence against Kejriwal's claims. He noted that if the fuel were damaging engines, insurance premiums would have skyrocketed and the resale value of petrol vehicles would have crashed. "India's second-hand car market today sees about 60 lakh vehicles annually, valued at over $40 billion, and is projected to reach $70-82 billion by FY2031. Lies can be spread by showing a few selective videos, but the truth cannot be changed. Arvind Kejriwal is once again peddling confusion and falsehoods in place of facts," Malviya wrote.

Kejriwal Cites Consumer Complaints

Kejriwal on Saturday visited a petrol pump and service station in Delhi to interact with ordinary vehicle owners over the impact of E20-blended petrol, alleging that the government's claims about the fuel do not reflect the experiences of consumers. According to a release, he spoke to owners who had come to refuel and to others who had brought their vehicles for repairs to understand the effects of E20 petrol on their vehicles.

Citing these interactions, the AAP chief claimed that people consistently reported reduced mileage and mechanical problems after using E20 petrol. He alleged that the government's assertions on E20 were "blatant lies" and that ordinary people were facing difficulties because of ethanol-blended fuel. (ANI)

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianetnews Editorial staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)