Petroleum minister meets E20 protesters ahead of protest march

Mangalore Today News Network

New Delhi, Jul 30, 2026: The scars of New Delhi’s Jantar Mantar protests are fresh in the government’s memory. After a student-led agitation forced the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, the Modi government now appears to be trying to prevent another protest from becoming a street movement. This time it is over its ambitious Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) programme.

On Wednesday (July 29), Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri met representatives of Team Bharat, an outfit that is spearheading the protests against the rushed implementation of E20 petrol. Team Bharat, led by activist Tehseen Poonawalla, plans to hold a protest on July 31. AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal too has opposed the implementation of the EBP programme, and plans to hold a protest meeting at the Constitution Club in New Delhi on August 1.

The Union government’s rapid implementation of the EBP programme has triggered resentment among sections of vehicle owners, who allege that the 20% ethanol-blended petrol, or E20, has damaged engines, reduced mileage and increased maintenance costs, particularly in vehicles manufactured before the transition in April 2023.

While the Centre has consistently rejected a direct link between ethanol blending and vehicle damage, it has, unlike previous agitations, chosen engagement before confrontation.

A slight change in stance was evident on Wednesday when Puri met representatives of Poonawalla-led Team Bharat. The meeting came barely two days before Team Bharat’s proposed ’The Gaddi March’ near Parliament Street in New Delhi on July 31.

"This is the first time the Union government reached out to protesters even before the actual protests started," Poonawalla told India Today Digital.

"We are happy that the government reached out. In the 12 years of Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government, it has reached out to protesters only after the protests hit the streets," he added.

Poonawalla, who wasn’t present at the meeting, described the government’s outreach and meeting with Team Bharat as "a positive step".

The timing of the meeting has drawn attention because it comes days after the government faced a political setback over the prolonged Cockroach Janta Party (CJP)-led protests at Jantar Mantar. That agitation culminated in Pradhan’s resignation as education minister, reinforcing the political costs of allowing public protests to snowball.

The decision of the petroleum minister to meet the E20 protesters suggests that the Centre is unwilling to risk another issue acquiring similar momentum.

Amid the calls for agitation against the Ethanol policy, Poonawalla claims that his Instagram account has been suspended.

THE MEETING WITH TEAM BHARAT ALSO INCLUDED VARIOUS MINISTRIES

According to Poonawalla, what was initially expected to be a discussion with petroleum ministry officials evolved into a much higher-level engagement.

"The meeting was supposed to be between Team Bharat and the petroleum ministry officials, but the head of the ministry, Minister Hardeep Singh Puri himself, joined the meeting. For this action, we are grateful to the Union government," Poonawalla told India Today Digital.

The meeting lasted nearly four hours and included officials from the ministries of petroleum, agriculture and industry.

"The meeting was very cordial. Every aspect of the E20 blending policy implementation was discussed in detail," Poonawalla said.

’DO NOT PROTEST, SAID PETROLEUM MINISTER’: TEHSEEN POONAWALLA

He also said that Puri urged Team Bharat to reconsider its planned march to Parliament Street on July 31.

"Puri ji insisted that we should not hold our planned demonstration on July 31. Our team will take a decision after discussing it internally. But there cannot be an infinite deadline. They cannot keep dragging the timeline," Poonawalla told India Today Digital.

Poonawalla also revealed that Delhi Police had contacted him requesting that the organisation not proceed with the march while discussions continue.

"Since the government requested us to hold on for the protest and even the Delhi Police called me requesting that we not hit the streets, we are grateful that the government reached out. But the timelines for proper implementation have to be worked out soon. They cannot be indefinite. We will give the ministry a deadline," he added.

TEAM BHARAT’S DEMANDS BEFORE THE GOVERNMENT

Unlike calls seeking a complete rollback of the ethanol programme, Team Bharat says its demands focus on the manner in which the policy has been implemented.

Team Bharat placed several "non-negotiable" conditions before the government during the meeting on Wednesday. The outfit had earlier hit the streets on July 5 at New Delhi’s Jantar Mantar, which witnessed a moderate turnout.

The foremost demand of the outfit, according to Poonawalla, is that E10 petrol should be made available for millions of vehicles manufactured before 2023, many of which were not designed for continuous use of E20 fuel.

The group has also demanded that pure petrol (E0) be made available at petrol pumps across the country, and at a reasonable rate.

Another key demand, Poonawalla told India Today Digital, was that "E20 must be sold at a 20% discount compared to pure petrol".

He questioned why countries like Nepal, which imports India-processed fuel, could access petrol at lower prices while Indian consumers were being asked to pay nearly the same rates for a fuel containing less petrol.

Team Bharat has also demanded that the complete policy document and scientific studies relating to E20 implementation be placed in the public domain.

"The government must provide a solution for people whose pre-2023 vehicles have allegedly suffered damage after using E20 petrol," Poonawalla said.

He further alleged that Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari’s association with the ethanol ecosystem raises concerns that "must be addressed".

GOVERNMENT DEFENDS ETHANOL POLICY IN PARLIAMENT

Even as Puri reached out to the E20 protesters, the Centre continued to defend its EBP policy.

In a written reply in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday, Nitin Gadkari said the EBP programme had been introduced only after extensive scientific studies, laboratory testing, field trials, expert validation and consultations with stakeholders.

The government maintains that there is no conclusive evidence proving