E20 Fuel Row: AAP to Continue Protest, Kejriwal Urges Mass Participation

NEW DELHI: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday (August 4, 2026) said his party's campaign against E20 fuel would continue, and urged citizens to join the protest "in large numbers" if they wanted to stop its implementation.

Addressing a press conference after leading a march towards the Prime Minister's residence with petitions opposing E20 fuel, Mr. Kejriwal said the party would also oppose any move to implement the policy in States where it has legislators.

"We have MLAs in Goa and Gujarat and we will not allow E20 to be passed there either. Our legislators will oppose it in the Assemblies," he said.

E20 refers to a blend of 20% ethanol with petrol. The central government has been promoting ethanol blending to reduce oil imports and provide additional income to farmers. However, critics have raised concerns about food security, water usage, and vehicle compatibility.

Mr. Kejriwal said only around 100 people had accompanied the march on Tuesday, but they had shown courage by participating despite facing criticism and trolling on social media. Delhi Police stopped Mr. Kejriwal and other party leaders from marching towards the Prime Minister's residence with the group, prompting them to stage a protest on Firoz Shah Road. The police did not immediately comment on the incident.

"If people want to get rid of E20, they will have to come out on the streets in large numbers," Mr. Kejriwal said.

AAP MP Sanjay Singh claimed he had raised the issue in Parliament and received a reply indicating the Centre was determined to implement E20. "I raised the question in Parliament today and the answer makes it clear that the government is determined to implement E20," Mr. Singh alleged.

He also alleged that Indian farmers would not benefit from ethanol production and claimed that the policy would instead benefit farmers in the United States. Mr. Kejriwal urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to "withstand the pressure" of President Donald Trump and stop importing ethanol from the United States, alleging that the policy favoured foreign interests over Indian farmers.

The AAP's protest is part of a broader political debate over the central government's ethanol blending policy. The government has argued that E20 will help cut pollution and reduce crude oil imports, while the AAP has questioned its impact on food security and domestic agriculture.