Nitin Gadkari Slams “Paid Campaign” Over E20 Petrol Concerns

• Sep 11 , 2025

New Delhi | September 11, 2025

Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari has alleged that the rising criticism of the government’s E20 ethanol-blended petrol rollout is the result of a “paid political campaign” on social media. Addressing the 65th annual convention of the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) in Delhi on Thursday, Gadkari urged people not to be misled by misinformation, reiterating that the fuel is both safe and regulator-approved.

Gadkari Defends Ethanol Programme

The minister explained that E20 fuel, which blends 20% ethanol with petrol, has already received a green signal from both the Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI) and the Supreme Court. “There was a campaign on social media to target me politically. It was a paid campaign, so don’t pay attention to it,” Gadkari said during his address.

He emphasized that the opposition to E20 is largely exaggerated,...