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Union Minister of Agriculture Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Thursday addressed the ongoing controversy regarding the ethanol-blending programme during a press conference, asserting that Union Minister Nitin Gadkari has already provided a clarification on the issue.
Declining to comment further, the Agriculture Minister stated that there was no need for his additional remarks on the matter. "Our minister Nitin Gadkari has already clarified the entire situation, so there is no need for me to say anything further," said Shivraj Singh Chouhan. Shivraj Singh Chouhan's remarks came after Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari dismissed allegations that E20 ethanol-blended fuel damages vehicle engines or impacts mileage. Rejecting these claims, Gadkari challenged critics to provide evidence, questioning the basis of such concerns by asking if any user of an E20-compatible vehicle had faced technical issues or could name even two individuals who had suffered vehicle damage due to the fuel. Citing industry data, the Minister asserted that major automakers, including Maruti Suzuki, Toyota, Tata Motors, and Mahindra, have not reported a single complaint linking ethanol-blending to engine malfunctions. Gadkari urged complainants claiming damage to formalise their concerns by filing complaints with both the respective dealers and the Ministry. Earlier, the Nagpur Cyber Police registered a First Information Report (FIR) against multiple social media content creators for allegedly executing a defamatory digital campaign targeting Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari. The legal action stems from highly contested online posts regarding the government's Ethanol-blended (E20) fuel policy. "An offence has been registered based on the complaint received. The FIR details the names of the individuals involved and the nature of the posts, as well as the obscene or abusive comments made by certain people. Police is currently investigating the matter..." Reddy stated. The complaint was filed by BJP Nagpur City Social Media Cell Convener Shishir Arun Tripathi. According to the complaint, a YouTube video uploaded on July 3, 2026, by content creator Manish Kashyap allegedly contained false, defamatory and misleading statements regarding Gadkari and ethanol (E20) fuel, with the intent to mislead the public. The complaint further alleged that similar misleading videos and posts were circulated through other YouTube and Instagram accounts, including 'Desi Boys', 'Harshit Rathi', and 'Anklesh Inwati', making what the complainants described as baseless and objectionable allegations against the Union Minister. The complaint also claimed that the content had the potential to disturb public peace and create confusion among citizens. Based on the complaint and the supporting digital evidence submitted, the Nagpur Cyber Police registered FIR No. 0092/2026 under Sections 356, 352 and 296 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, along with Section 67 of the Information Technology Act, 2000. In Raipur, the citr's District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission has directed a car manufacturer to replace a complainant's vehicle with a brand-new one after it suffered severe engine damage allegedly due to the use of E20 fuel. In what is being seen as a significant consumer rights ruling, the Commission held both the vehicle manufacturer and the dealer liable for deficiency in service, observing that the vehicle's engine was not compatible with E20 petrol. (ANI)
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