Arvind Kejriwal announces townhall meeting against E20 blending in fuel on August 1, says thousands expected to join

Former Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convenor Arvind Kejriwal announced a town hall meeting against ethanol-blended fuel on 1 August, to be held at the Constitution Club in New Delhi.

Kejriwal announced the meeting in a social media post. In a post on X, he shared a video and wrote, "When the youth of the country united and raised their voice, Dharmendra Pradhan had to resign. We will also have to unite and raise our voice against E20. This Saturday, we are organizing the 'National Townhall Against E20', where you can share your views on E20 by participating. You can also join this online. All of you are invited."

The development comes days after former Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigned from his position after the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) staged a protest for over a month, seeking his resignation over alleged irregularities in the education system, especially the NEET-UG paper leak.

The announcement also comes after weeks of debate over the nationwide rollout of ethanol-blended fuel (E20), which has reportedly caused issues for vehicles manufactured before 2023 that are not compliant with E20 fuel.

Kejriwal writes to PM Modi, seeks recall of E20 fuel

Earlier this month, Kejriwal wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi amid growing debate over the nationwide rollout of E20 fuel, urging the Centre to reconsider its decision to introduce E20 petrol for vehicles that are not compatible with it.

In his letter, the former Delhi chief minister noted that the use of E20 petrol in vehicles manufactured before 2023 has resulted in reduced mileage, faster engine wear, and an increased financial burden on vehicle owners. He also called for petrol pumps across the country to give consumers the option of choosing between pure petrol and E20-blended fuel. Further, he urged the government to reduce the price of E20 petrol, arguing that its lower calorific value results in lower fuel efficiency.

Following his letter, Kejriwal also held a press conference and said, "I have appealed to Prime Minister Modi to reduce the price of E20 fuel; since E20 yields lower mileage, its price should also be lower... I have also sought an appointment to meet him."

He further said, "I want to tell everyone troubled by these issues to make videos and post them on social media, because this government will not listen to us so easily."

Kejriwal writes to 29 automakers over E20 fuel

Earlier this month, he also wrote to 29 automakers, seeking a written clarification on the impact of E20 fuel on mileage and engine safety. According to The Times of India, separate letters were sent to Maruti Suzuki India, Toyota Kirloskar Motor, and Hero MotoCorp, while the remaining 26 automakers received a different letter seeking their position on the use of E20 fuel and the concerns raised by consumers.

67% of pre-2023 vehicle owners experienced a 10% decline in mileage: Survey

According to a LocalCircles survey, over 67 per cent of owners of petrol vehicles manufactured before 2023 reported that their mileage had dropped by more than 10% since early 2025, while nearly half said they had also experienced higher maintenance costs and increased vehicle wear.

E20 fuel debate

The Centre has been facing growing criticism over its decision to make E20-blended fuel mandatory, with many vehicle owners demanding the option to choose their fuel. By the end of 2025, E20 petrol had become the only fuel available at India's 90,000 petrol pumps, prompting widespread public backlash.