Police asking us to limit E20 protest, we'll expose govt lies: Tehseen Poonawalla

New Delhi,UPDATED: Jul 4, 2026 22:53 IST

A day ahead of the first protest against the "rushed implementation" of the Central government's E20 ethanol-blended petrol policy, organisers of the demonstration claimed that the Delhi Police had verbally permitted them to hold the agitation at Jantar Mantar but asked them to limit the number of protesters to 200.

Leading the protest scheduled for 2 pm on Sunday under the banner "Team Bharat against Ethanol scam", entrepreneur and TV personality Tehseen Poonawalla criticised the conditions imposed by Delhi Police and told India Today Digital that the demonstration would go ahead regardless of any restrictions.

Poonawalla also said that he would be addressing a press conference on Sunday and expose the "sham press conference" held on Saturday by auto experts defending the government's ethanol policy.

"We have got the permission verbally from Delhi Police. Strangely, Delhi Police has asked us to limit the number of protesters to 200 only. I don't know how a police force in a democracy can dictate to citizens that a protest must be limited," Poonawalla told India Today Digital.

Other members of Team Bharat told India Today Digital that the protest wasn't against the ethanol-blending policy but against its implementation and how car owners were being left without choice.

Poonawalla also warned of a stir outside Union Minister Nitin Gadkari's house if the Delhi Police resort to any "funny act" to try and "stop the protest".

"In any case, we are protesting at Jantar Mantar irrespective of what the police say. We don't care. If they don't allow us to protest or act funny, we will sit in front of Nitin Gadkari's house," he said.

Though Nitin Gadkari is the Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways, he is seen as the face of the government's ethanol-blended fuel campaign because of his support for ethanol-blended petrol.

AUTO EXPERTS PRESS CONFERENCE ON ETHANOL A SHAM, POONAWALLA HITS OUT

Tehseen Poonawalla also launched a sharp attack on Saturday's government-backed press conference helmed by automobile and energy experts in defence of the ethanol-blending programme, calling it "ridiculous" and a "sham".

After the press conference of auto experts, former Engineers India Limited (EIL) Chairperson and Managing Director, Vartika Shukla, who was part of the briefing, told news agency ANI that the E20 fuel launched on December 25 was a part of the "One Nation, One Fuel" initiative and, it was initially introduced in select regions before reaching every retail outlet.

Poonawalla sharply criticised this statement of Shukla and questioned her intent.

"Imagine the lady [Vartika Shukla] saying the country is aiming at 'One Nation, One Fuel'. What is she even talking about? The Maruti executive in the press briefing said that E10 cars are compatible with E20 petrol. My question is, if the cars are compatible with E20 petrol, then why do the instruction manuals state otherwise?" Poonwalla said, speaking to India Today Digital.

"This sham of a press briefing will also be exposed by us. We will hold a press conference on Sunday and expose the reality," he added.

CITIZENS SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO CHOOSE FUEL COMPATIBLE TO THEIR VEHICLES: TEAM BHARAT MEMBER

Dinesh Tantia, member of Team Bharat, told India Today Digital that the protest was not against ethanol itself but against the lack of fuel choice for consumers.

"Our demand is fuel compatibility. The fuel that suits a car should be the fuel its owner has the right to use. The government often cites Brazil and the US as examples, but consumers there have options. India also needs to provide that choice," Tantia said.

"Build the required ecosystem first and then decide what fuel should be used. Until then, citizens must have the option of buying petrol that is compatible with their vehicles," he added.

Another Team Bharat member and automobile enthusiast, Rattan Dhillon, questioned who would bear responsibility if vehicle owners suffered losses due to the ethanol policy.

"Car owners pay taxes in advance for nearly 10 to 15 years. Will the Government of India guarantee that if our vehicles are affected by ethanol-blended fuel, it will take responsibility?" Dhillon told India Today Digital.

"All documents related to the research behind the ethanol policy should be made public. People of this country have the right to know what is contained in those papers," Dhillon added.

The protest comes amid an increasingly heated public debate over the Centre's E20 petrol rollout, with critics questioning its impact on older vehicles and seeking greater transparency over the scientific studies behind the policy.

AUTOMOBILE INDUSTRY EXPERTS DEFEND CENTRE'S E20 ROLLOUT

The protest also follows a press conference held on Saturday where senior automobile and energy experts strongly defended the E20 programme, asserting that years of scientific testing found no evidence that the fuel poses concerns for vehicles.

The panel included Vartika Shukla, former Indian Oil Corporation Chairman B Ashok, senior executives from Maruti Suzuki, Toyota Kirloskar Motor, Hyundai Motor India, TVS Motor, Hero MotoCorp, and Bajaj Auto.

At the press conference, Shukla said that ethanol blending did not happen overnight and noted that India achieved its E20 target in December 2025. She also added that the automobile industry carried out extensive testing before the rollout and added that the programme aims to reduce carbon emissions. She also said several countries, including Canada and Paraguay, already use E20 fuel and that E20 fuel complies with Bharat Stage VI (BS VI) standards.

Shukla, speaking to news agency ANI after the press conference, acknowledged that engine performance may witness a marginal decline but said that it depended on several factors, including driving habits.

"The EBP programme began in 2018 with significant stakeholder engagement. Oil marketing companies complied with standards. There is absolutely no gap in the scientific methodology used to determine these standards," she said.

Toyota Kirloskar Motor Country Head Vikram Gulati said ethanol had long been recognised as an effective automotive fuel and argued that India's transition was backed by a robust regulatory framework.

Calling ethanol "a very good fuel", Gulati noted that some of the earliest automobiles ran on ethanol and that Formula 1 racing cars also use ethanol-based fuel.

Meanwhile, Maruti Suzuki Senior Executive Officer Rahul Bharti acknowledged that concerns largely centred on vehicles manufactured before 2023 but maintained that the company had not found any evidence suggesting E20 fuel posed a problem.

Former Indian Oil Corporation Chairman B Ashok also defended the programme, saying ethanol blending has strengthened India's energy security, increased farmers' incomes.

Poonawalla told India Today Digital that he would be holding a press conference at Jantar Mantar during the protest on Sunday and bust the "lies and claims" of the government and the government-backed experts.

As the government and automobile industry continue to defend the E20 programme as scientifically validated, Sunday's protest will test whether public concerns over the fuel mandate can translate into a broader movement. Even before the demonstration begins, organisers have rejected the police-imposed cap of 200 protesters, warning that any attempt to disrupt the gathering will see them shift their protest to Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari's residence.

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