India’s push for ethanol-blended petrol has run into a fresh political storm. Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari, while defending the government’s ethanol policy, dismissed criticism of the fuel mandate and reportedly remarked that anyone questioning the policy could be seen as “anti-national.”
“Anyone who questions or argues on these matters is actually anti-national.”
The comment came as Gadkari pushed back against concerns over water usage in ethanol production and complaints about reduced fuel efficiency in vehicles running on ethanol-blended petrol.
AAP’s Anurag Dhanda Pushes Back
AAP‘s National Media In-charge Anurag Dhanda has weighed in on the row, criticising the government’s approach to handling public criticism of the ethanol policy. Dhanda’s intervention adds to a broader pattern of the AAP leader routinely calling out the Centre on governance and accountability issues — from questioning police conduct in Uttar Pradesh to raising alarms over alleged scams in Delhi.
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A Policy Under Growing Scrutiny
- Gadkari has repeatedly defended the ethanol-blending programme, calling allegations against him a “paid campaign”
- Critics point to falling vehicle mileage and compatibility issues with older cars
- The government maintains ethanol has added an estimated ₹45,000 crore in income for corn farmers in UP and Bihar
- Concerns over crop-based ethanol’s water and grain usage have also fuelled the backlash
The Bigger Political Picture
The ethanol row has increasingly become a flashpoint beyond just automotive policy, with opposition leaders framing the government’s response to criticism as an attempt to shut down legitimate public debate. As the controversy continues to simmer, both the Centre’s handling of the policy and its response to critics are likely to remain contested points heading into further political exchanges.
