The BJP on Tuesday hit back at Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convenor Arvind Kejriwal over his criticism of the government’s E20 fuel policy, accusing him of spreading misinformation and creating unnecessary fear
among the public.
In a sharp response, the BJP described Kejriwal as a “congenital liar and a master manipulator” and alleged that his remarks on E20 fuel were aimed at manufacturing panic instead of presenting facts.
The party said, “Arvind Kejriwal is a congenital liar and a master manipulator. His latest attempt to manufacture fear around E20 fuel is yet another example of politics driven by misinformation rather than facts.”
What BJP said?
The BJP referred to comments by Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (FADA) President C. S. Vigneshwar, who, according to the party, said automobile dealerships across the country had not received complaints related to E20 fuel.
The BJP said there had been “no clogged fuel filters, no starting issues” linked to E20 fuel. It added that the few isolated cases reported were “more likely caused by adulterated fuel, not E20”.
The BJP also accused Kejriwal of encouraging people to create a misleading narrative.
“Unable to back his claims with evidence, Kejriwal is now asking people to flood social media with videos in an attempt to create a false perception of a nationwide problem. This is an old playbook: spread misinformation first, then amplify anecdotal claims to manufacture public outrage. Facts matter. Fear-mongering and propaganda do not,” the party said.
What Kejriwal said?
Kejriwal had appealed to AAP workers and supporters to visit petrol pumps and vehicle service centres and interact with people about their experiences with E20 fuel.
“My appeal to all workers and leaders of the Aam Aadmi Party is that everyone should step out of their homes and go to petrol pumps and service stations. There, talk to people, make videos, and share them on social media,” he said.
He also urged people who were unhappy with E20 fuel to upload their own videos online.
“All those people in the country who are unhappy with E20 should make their own videos and post them on social media. The government is not going to listen like this. We have to fill the entire social media with the voices of common people to put pressure on them,” Kejriwal said.
What is the E20 controversy?
The E20 debate centres on the government’s rollout of petrol blended with 20 per cent ethanol. Supporters of the policy argue that it helps reduce crude oil imports, lowers emissions and benefits farmers.
Critics, however, say the fuel may reduce mileage, affect the performance of older vehicles and place additional strain on engines, rubber components and hoses. The debate intensified after the government’s legal counsel described E20 as an “experiment”, with opponents claiming this suggested the rollout had been rushed.
The government and the automobile industry maintain that E20 fuel is generally safe for compatible vehicles. They say any reduction in fuel efficiency is usually modest rather than the significant drop claimed by some users. They also argue that the policy supports India’s energy security by reducing dependence on imported crude oil.
