NEW DELHI: Union minister Pralhad Joshi on Tuesday stepped up his attack on Congress over ethanol blending in petrol row and accused it of misleading the public over the issue.Talking to reporters, Joshi took a jibe at Lok Sabha leader of opposition Rahul Gandhi and said that Congress is trying to stir up "bogus movement led by a bogus leader."“One must understand that this is all part of an effort to appease—not just the minorities, but also Rahul Gandhi. They keep saying things in his favour. The public understands this,” he said.“At a time when crude oil is so expensive—with a base price of Rs 53 for petrol, while ethanol costs between Rs 57 and Rs 71 if derived from maize—there is simply no commercial logic to their claims. We took this initiative to support our farmers and to help the nation become self-reliant, rather than remaining dependent on imports,” he said.Joshi also said that Congress had attempted to launch a campaign against the government on several issues, including electronic voting machines, infiltrators and Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.“Yet, the Congress…
'Bogus movement led by bogus leader': Union minister takes jibe at Rahul
In short
The controversy follows accusations from Karnataka minister Rizwan Arshad that oil marketing companies are breaching the official 20 percent ethanol blending cap. Arshad claimed state tests across seven districts revealed ethanol levels reaching up to 31.2 percent, allegedly causing engine damage and extra costs for drivers. In response, Union minister Pralhad Joshi defended the program as an effort toward self-reliance and asserted that fuel testing must adhere to specialized laboratory procedures established in 2005.
Key points
- The central government defends ethanol blending as a vital policy to bolster local farmer…: The central government defends ethanol blending as a vital policy to bolster local farmers and reduce dependence on fuel imports.
- Oil marketing companies have disputed the validity of the fuel testing methodology employ…: Oil marketing companies have disputed the validity of the fuel testing methodology employed by the Karnataka state government.
- The dispute reflects a broader political clash between the Centre and the opposition over…: The dispute reflects a broader political clash between the Centre and the opposition over regulatory standards and public fuel policies.