New Delhi: Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari has strongly defended the government’s E20 petrol programme, dismissing claims that the ethanol-blended fuel damages vehicles.
His remarks came after a viral controversy involving Bihar-based YouTuber Manish Kashyap, who blamed E20 petrol for problems in his Toyota Innova HyCross.
Speaking on Tuesday, Gadkari challenged critics to identify even one vehicle that had suffered because of E20 petrol. He said a social media influencer from Patna had made allegations but refused to hand over the vehicle initially for testing. According to the minister, once the vehicle was examined, Toyota found that the fuel tank contained a mixture of petrol and water. He added that the company later filed an FIR in the matter.
The controversy began after Manish Kashyap posted videos from a Toyota service centre, claiming that his Innova HyCross developed severe engine vibration, knocking and stalling after using E20 petrol. He questioned the government’s ethanol fuel policy and argued that consumers should also have the option of buying regular petrol.
Kashyap also raised concerns over the vehicle’s extended warranty, saying customers could face financial losses if manufacturers rejected warranty claims by citing poor fuel quality. His videos quickly went viral on social media, triggering a wider debate over the safety of E20 fuel.
Toyota Kirloskar Motor later rejected the allegations in an official statement issued on July 4. The company said the Innova HyCross is designed, tested and certified to run safely on E20 petrol. It said its technical inspection found that the vehicle had been filled with contaminated fuel containing external impurities, not that E20 petrol had caused any damage.
The company said no part of the vehicle or its fuel system had been damaged. Engineers drained the contaminated fuel, cleaned the tank and fuel lines, refilled the vehicle with standard E20 petrol and restored it to normal working condition before handing it back to the customer.
Toyota also advised vehicle owners to buy fuel only from authorised and trusted petrol pumps to reduce the risk of fuel contamination.
The government has been promoting E20 petrol as part of its plan to reduce crude oil imports, support ethanol production and lower vehicle emissions. However, the fuel continues to face questions from some consumers over its impact on vehicle performance, claims that the government and automobile manufacturers have repeatedly denied.
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