‘Aggressively lobbying’: Congress slams Gadkari over ethanol policy

New Delhi: The Congress on Thursday levelled conflict of interest allegations against Union minister Nitin Gadkari, claiming that he has been “aggressively lobbying” for ethanol production while his two sons are involved in firms that produce ethanol and “benefitted” from government policy.

The BJP rejected the allegations and said the Congress has become like the Aam Aadmi Party which used to “make claims” about having documentary evidence of wrongdoings in its pocket but would have nothing in reality.

The Congress party’s charges came days after the Supreme Court rejected a PIL challenging the nationwide rollout of 20 per cent ethanol-blended petrol (EBP-20). The PIL had alleged that millions of motorists were forced to use the fuel not designed for their vehicles.

A bench comprising Chief Justice BR Gavai and Justice K Vinod Chandran did not agree to the contentions raised in the plea filed by advocate Akshay Malhotra, who sought directions to the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas to ensure availability of ethanol-free petrol at all fuel stations.

Congress’ media and publicity department head Pawan Khera said: “The so-called flagbearer of ‘Na Khaunga, Na Khane Doonga’ - after implementing vote chori, now implements petrol chori. The latest being the E-20 Policy to extort money.”

“There is now widespread outrage around the ethanol blending policy. Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari has been aggressively lobbying for ethanol production since he assumed office in 2014. In September 2018, Gadkari stated that the government is setting up five ethanol production plants, where ethanol would be made from wood-based products and segregated municipal waste. He also mentioned that this would help make diesel available at Rs 50 per litre and a petrol alternative at Rs 55 per litre. It turns out that this was a ‘jumla’,” Khera alleged.

Despite tall claims of achieving 20 per cent ethanol blending five years ahead of schedule, the promises have fallen flat, the Congress leader said. “Not a drop of ethanol has come from wood-based products or municipal waste as pledged, and petrol prices never touched the touted Rs 55 per litre. Instead, the common man is left paying more.”