'E20 Janta Party' campaign gathers pace on social media demanding no-ethanol option, days after CJP protest
PTC News Desk: Days after Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation following sustained protests led by Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), a new social media campaign calling itself the E20 Janta Party has emerged demanding that the consumers be given an option of buying 100 per cent petrol alongside ethanol-blended fuel.
A new campaign has adopted the slogans, branding, and protest style that helped the CJP gain nationwide attention over the past two months. Supporters are using social media to call for a "CJP-style" protest against India's ethanol blending programme, saying vehicle owners should be free to choose regular petrol instead of E20 fuel.
The campaign is also demanding the resignation of the Union Road Transport and Highways Minister over the government's ethanol policy.
The movement is gaining momentum as the Delhi Taxi and Tourist Transporters and Tour Operators have announced a protest march to Parliament on August 4 against the use of E20 petrol.
Concerns raised by the campaign
The E20 Janta Party says people, especially those who own older cars and certain two-wheelers, should have the option to buy regular petrol if they do not want to use ethanol-blended fuel. Supporters claim E20 fuel may affect engine compatibility, reduce fuel efficiency, and increase long-term maintenance costs. They also argue that many vehicles currently on Indian roads were not originally designed to run on E20 petrol.
However, the government and automobile manufacturers have repeatedly said that newer E20-compatible vehicles are built to safely use ethanol-blended petrol. Car and two-wheeler makers have also been gradually introducing E20-ready models in line with the government's rollout plan.
- With inputs from agencies
