The Union Minister accused the Congress of misleading the public over ethanol blending in petrol to achieve political appeasement.
Union Minister Pralhad Joshi on Tuesday accused the Congress of attempting to mislead the public regarding ethanol blending in petrol, according to reports by The Times of India, Economic Times and ANI.
Joshi described the opposition's stance as a "bogus movement led by a bogus leader, Rahul Gandhi." He alleged that the Congress party is making statements to appease both minorities and the Lok Sabha leader of opposition.
The Minister questioned the commercial logic of the claims, noting that while the base price of petrol is Rs 53, ethanol derived from maize costs between Rs 57 and Rs 71. He stated the initiative aims to support farmers and reduce import dependence.
Joshi also noted that specialised equipment and recognised laboratories are required for testing fuel. He claimed these testing procedures and the 'Petrol and Diesel Order' were introduced in 2005 during the UPA tenure.
The remarks follow statements by Karnataka Minister Rizwan Arshad, who said the state government stands by a report claiming oil marketing companies are blending more than 20 per cent ethanol in petrol. Arshad said samples from seven districts showed blends reaching 31.2 per cent.
The oil companies have rejected the findings of the Karnataka government report, disputing the methodology and results used by the state.
