Kejriwal Announces National Town Hall Against E20 Fuel, Vows Escalation
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener Arvind Kejriwal on Monday announced that the party will organise a 'National Town Hall Against E-20' on August 1, bringing together stakeholders and experts to discuss the issue of E20 fuel.
Addressing a press conference, Kejriwal said the initiative follows widespread public concern over the government's E20 policy, which mandates blending 20% ethanol with petrol. He claimed the policy is damaging vehicles and reducing fuel efficiency. 'People are facing immense hardship. Their vehicles are getting damaged and fuel efficiency has declined,' he said.
Kejriwal also referred to recent student protests and claimed that youth pressure forced Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan to resign. He appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to resolve the E20 issue 'before it snowballs into a larger movement'.
The town hall will be held at Constitution Club in New Delhi, starting at noon. Participants from Delhi and nearby cities are invited to attend in person, while those from other parts of the country can join online. Kejriwal said interested individuals can send a WhatsApp message to receive a link for online participation.
The AAP chief stated that the event will allow all attendees to speak and help chart a future course of action to press the government to withdraw the E20 policy. He added that an online petition launched earlier has garnered over two lakh signatures, which he plans to submit to the Prime Minister's office after the town hall.
Responding to questions about police action against students in states like Bihar and West Bengal, Kejriwal criticised the government, saying it had promised not to take action but students are still facing FIRs and lathi-charges. He also commented on the NEET paper leak case, noting that the alleged mastermind was granted bail and later given a clean chit by the CBI, questioning the government's political will to tackle education malpractices.
The E20 fuel policy is part of India's National Biofuel Policy aimed at reducing emissions and cutting oil imports. However, critics argue that many existing vehicles are not compatible with high ethanol blends, leading to potential damage and efficiency losses. The government has defended the policy as a step towards energy security and environmental sustainability.
