Source : INDIA TODAY NEWS
Janardan Mishra, the BJP MP from Madhya Pradesh’s Rewa, has sparked fresh controversy with a sharp defence of the Centre’s ethanol-blending policy, asking critics of the move whether “pure petrol” would come from their “father’s house”.
Backing the Centre’s push for 20 per cent ethanol blending in petrol, Mishra argued that India remains heavily dependent on imported crude oil.
He said India produces only around 20 per cent of the crude oil it needs, while the remaining 80 per cent is imported.
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Referring to the prevailing geopolitical situation and challenges in transporting crude, the BJP leader said oil tankers sometimes have to travel an additional 18,000 km to bring supplies to India.
“In such a situation, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi talks about blending 20 per cent ethanol in petrol, some people start protesting,” Mishra said.
He took aim at those opposing ethanol blending, saying, “A movement is underway claiming that ethanol won’t work, pure petrol will. Will pure petrol come from your father’s house? If there’s no pure petrol in the country, where will it come from?”
Mishra further questioned the opposition to ethanol-powered vehicles and said India needed to increase domestic production of alternative fuels.
“If ethanol is not produced, where will petrol come from, where will diesel come from?” he asked.
The Rewa MP also cited Brazil’s extensive use of ethanol, claiming that vehicles there can run entirely on the fuel.He said Indian vehicles were also capable of running on ethanol-blended petrol.
“Brazil produces the maximum ethanol in the world, which is why vehicles there run on 100 per cent ethanol,” Mishra said.
He claimed that experts in India had found that ethanol blending does not damage vehicle engines and alleged that the opposition to the policy was “unnecessary”.
Mishra’s comments come amid continuing debate over the government’s ethanol-blending programme and its impact on vehicle performance, fuel economy and consumers.
The Centre has maintained that extensive testing and field experience with E20 petrol — containing 20 per cent ethanol — have found no evidence of abnormal engine wear, corrosion or a reduction in vehicle life.
Mishra also praised the government’s broader push for alternative fuels, including biogas and CNG, and highlighted initiatives aimed at improving air connectivity.
– Ends
SOURCE :- TIMES OF INDIA
