New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi Saturday attacked the Modi government over the rollout of E20 petrol, citing test results of samples collected by the Karnataka government, and asked the Centre to come clean on the actual ethanol content in fuel being sold across the country.
In a post in Hindi on X, Gandhi said, “E20 turned into 420 stealing petrol from the public’s cars!” The reference was to Section 420 of the erstwhile Indian Penal Code, which dealt with cheating.
Gandhi said the government claims that petrol contains 20 per cent ethanol but tests conducted on samples collected from seven districts in Karnataka had revealed higher levels.
“The Karnataka government collected petrol samples from 7 districts and had them tested at an accredited lab. Look at the results 11 out of 14 samples contained more than 20 per cent ethanol; 31.2 per cent at IOCL, 30.5 per cent at HPCL; IOCL, HPCL, BPCL, Nayara, Shell whether government-owned or private – all exceeded the limit,” he claimed.
He also alleged that the companies’ own laboratories had not reported the ethanol content.
Gandhi claimed that excessive ethanol blending could affect vehicle performance, resulting in lower mileage and higher maintenance costs. He also questioned the absence of labels at fuel stations disclosing the ethanol content of petrol.
“Modi ji, tell us what’s being put in the country’s tank? How much ethanol is actually in the petrol? When will action be taken against companies mixing more than 20 per cent ethanol?” he said.
Gandhi also reiterated his challenge to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for an open debate, saying the issue of ethanol blending could be included in the discussion.
E20 बना 420 – जनता की गाड़ी से पेट्रोल चोरी!
मोदी सरकार कहती है – पेट्रोल में 20% एथेनॉल है। कर्नाटक सरकार ने 7 ज़िलों से पेट्रोल के सैंपल लेकर मान्यता प्राप्त लैब में जाँच करवाई।
नतीजा देखिए
– 14 में से 11 सैंपल में 20% से ज़्यादा एथेनॉल
– IOCL में 31.2%, HPCL में 30.5%
– IOCL, HPCL, BPCL, Nayara, Shell – सरकारी हों या प्राइवेट – सब सीमा से ऊपर
– और कंपनियों की अपनी लैब ने एथेनॉल की मात्रा रिपोर्ट में लिखी ही नहींमतलब आप पैसा महंगे पेट्रोल का दे रहे हैं, टंकी में एथेनॉल भरा जा रहा है। नुकसान किसका? आपका।
आपकी गाड़ी इतना एथेनॉल पचाने के लिए बनी ही नहीं – मतलब, घटता माइलेज, बार-बार मैकेनिक। शौक से ली गई गाड़ी की बर्बादी।
और पंप पर लिखा तक नहीं कि टंकी में क्या डाला जा रहा है – चुनने का कोई विकल्प नहीं।
मोदी जी, बताइए – देश की टंकी में क्या भरा जा रहा है? पेट्रोल में असल में कितना एथेनॉल है? 20% से ज़्यादा मिलावट करने वाली कंपनियों पर कार्रवाई कब होगी?
और डिबेट की चुनौती अब भी खड़ी है। ये मुद्दा भी जोड़ लेंगे – आपकी नीतियों से असल में फ़ायदा किसे हो रहा है?
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) November 7, 2026
His remarks came a day after the Karnataka government alleged that major oil marketing companies (OMCs) were supplying petrol with ethanol content exceeding the prescribed 20 per cent limit, with tests recording levels as high as 31.2 per cent. It had sought action against the companies.
Addressing a press conference, Karnataka Food, Civil Supplies, Consumer Affairs and Legal Metrology Minister Rizwan Arshad said the allegations were based on tests conducted on samples collected from Bengaluru, Kolar, Chikkaballapura, Bengaluru Rural, Ramanagara, Mangaluru and Tumakuru.
According to test results issued by the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories-accredited and ISO-certified Shriram Research Institute in Bengaluru, samples from Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) recorded ethanol content of 31.2 per cent and 30.5 per cent, respectively.
The minister said samples collected from major fuel companies had revealed ethanol content exceeding 20 per cent.
However, state-run OMCs Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), Bharat Petroleum Corporation (BPCL) and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation (HPCL) have disputed the Karnataka government’s claims, questioning the sampling and testing procedures used to arrive at the findings.
The three companies said E20 petrol supplied across their retail networks, including in Karnataka, conforms to the Bureau of Indian Standards’ IS 17021 specifications, which prescribe an ethanol content of 19-21 per cent.
In a joint statement, the companies said the findings cited by the Karnataka government were not supported by tests conducted in accordance with prescribed statutory and technical procedures. They also questioned the use of third-party laboratory certificates, saying these did not disclose sufficient details of the testing methodology to independently verify the reported ethanol levels.
India’s ethanol-blending programme, which began with a pilot initiative in 2001, aims to reduce dependence on imported crude oil, strengthen domestic agricultural value chains and improve energy security.
The programme has been expanded through successive policy interventions, including the National Policy on Biofuels, 2018, and the NITI Aayog roadmap for ethanol blending.
According to Petroleum Ministry data cited by the OMCs, the programme since the 2014-15 ethanol supply year has generated foreign exchange savings of more than Rs 1.97 lakh crore, substituted approximately 316 lakh metric tonnes of crude oil, reduced carbon dioxide emissions by around 952 lakh metric tonnes and resulted in payments of more than Rs 1.66 lakh crore to farmers.
During the 2025-26 ethanol supply year, which ended on October 31, 2026, the three public sector OMCs procured 1,089 crore litres of ethanol and blended 1,134 crore litres against petrol sales of approximately 5,673 crore litres.
