Arvind Kejriwal and Aam Aadmi Party leaders were stopped by police Tuesday during a march to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's residence in New Delhi [1].
The protest targets the mandatory E20 ethanol-blended petrol policy, which the party said removes consumer choice and potentially harms motorists. By demanding a pure-petrol option, the AAP seeks to challenge the current fuel distribution model that mandates a 20% ethanol blend [3].
Kejriwal was joined by other party leaders, including Manish Sisodia and Sanjay Singh, as they attempted to reach 7 Lok Kalyan Marg [1, 2]. Delhi police intervened and stopped around 100 people from proceeding toward the residence [2].
The AAP has previously written to the Prime Minister to request a meeting regarding these concerns [4]. The party said that the forced imposition of E20 fuel is detrimental to vehicle owners who prefer non-blended petrol [4, 5].
The demonstration coincided with support from the Delhi Transport Union, which has also raised objections to the E20 policy [6]. The union and party leaders said that fuel stations should offer both ethanol-blended and pure petrol to ensure flexibility for different engine types.
Police maintained a security perimeter around the Prime Minister's home to prevent the group from reaching the gates [2]. No reports of arrests were detailed in the immediate aftermath of the standoff.
“Delhi police stopped around 100 people from proceeding toward the residence.”
This protest highlights a growing friction between India's aggressive green energy goals—specifically reducing oil imports through ethanol blending—and the practical concerns of vehicle owners regarding engine compatibility and consumer choice. By framing the E20 policy as a loss of autonomy for the motorist, the AAP is leveraging a populist economic argument against the central government's environmental mandate.
