The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday strongly refuted allegations made by Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Arvind Kejriwal regarding India’s ethanol import policy for the E20 fuel blending programme. The party cited a categorical denial from the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, accusing Kejriwal of spreading misinformation and fear-mongering.
Information was available with The Chenab Times that the Ministry of Commerce and Industry has dismissed reports suggesting India was importing ethanol from the United States for its E20 fuel blending programme as “baseless and factually incorrect.” The BJP’s IT cell head, Amit Malviya, stated that the Centre’s clarification had exposed “another one of Arvind Kejriwal’s lies” concerning the E20 initiative.
In a post on the social media platform X, Malviya asserted, “Another one of Arvind Kejriwal’s lies on E20 has fallen apart.” He was responding to the former Delhi Chief Minister’s claims that the government was intending to use “whole of US imports for non-blending purposes so that it can divert local production for blending purposes.”
Kejriwal’s allegations, as highlighted by Malviya, were countered by three key points from the government’s official clarification. Firstly, India is not importing ethanol from the United States for fuel blending purposes. Secondly, no concessions or commitments have been made in ongoing India-US trade talks to permit such imports. Thirdly, the ethanol used under India’s blending programme continues to be sourced exclusively from domestic producers.
Malviya further alleged that the government’s clarification was necessitated by “a series of fear-mongering claims and misinformation” that had been circulated surrounding the E20 programme. He concluded, “Facts matter. Propaganda doesn’t.”
The official statement from the Ministry of Commerce and Industry reiterated that under India’s existing policy framework, all ethanol used for blending with petrol is procured entirely from domestic sources. “As per the domestic policy framework, ethanol used for fuel blending under the Ethanol Blended with Petrol Programme is sourced entirely from domestic producers. There is no import of ethanol for fuel blending from the US,” the ministry stated unequivocally.
Furthermore, the government clarified that no commitments or concessions related to the import of ethanol for fuel blending purposes had been made during the ongoing India-US trade discussions. “Accordingly, any suggestion of a policy change to permit large-scale imports of fuel ethanol from the US is misleading,” the statement added, directly addressing the concerns raised.
The Centre reaffirmed that India’s ethanol blending programme and its associated procurement policies are strictly guided by domestic policy requirements. The sourcing framework for ethanol remains unchanged, with no deviation from relying solely on indigenous production for the fuel blending initiative. The Union government’s stance is aimed at dispelling any confusion and ensuring transparency regarding the country’s energy policy and its implementation under the E20 programme.
The Chenab Times News Desk