Ram Mohan Naidu clears the air on ethanol blending with ATF claim, says no such proposal exists: ‘Completely false’

Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu on Thursday rejected claims that the government is planning to blend ethanol with Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF), describing them as “completely false and irresponsible”. The clarification comes after former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal shared a social media post citing a media report on the matter and raised concerns over the safety of using what he termed “adulterated aviation fuel”.

The minister took to X and clarified that there is no proposal to mix ethanol with ATF, stressing that ethanol and Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) are two distinct types of fuel.

"The claim that the Government plans to blend ethanol with Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF) is completely false and irresponsible. There is no such proposal," Naidu stated, adding, “Ethanol and Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) are entirely different and should not be conflated."

“SAF is an internationally certified aviation fuel recognised by International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and adopted globally. It undergoes rigorous testing and meets stringent global safety standards,” he added.

Kinjarapu also warned against spreading misinformation related to aviation safety, saying such claims create unnecessary anxiety among air travellers.

"Spreading misinformation on aviation safety only creates needless anxiety among air travellers. Passenger safety remains the Government's highest priority," he concluded.

Kejriwal, Malviya engage in war of words

Quoting the report, Kejriwal alleged, "Read this article. The engine of ur flight just might stop in the air. Will u risk flying in an aircraft running on adulterated aviation fuel? Time to have an educated and competent govt."

Claiming that the government was also planning to introduce ethanol blending in diesel, Kejriwal urged people to refrain from buying new petrol and diesel vehicles for the time being. Kejriwal alleged that the government intended to raise ethanol blending in petrol beyond 50% after introducing E20 fuel.

Criticising Kejriwal, Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) IT department head Amit Malviya accused him of spreading "fake news" and creating unnecessary "panic", calling it his "old habit". He maintained that the Centre has made it clear that there is no decision to increase ethanol blending beyond E20.

E20 fuel, a blend containing 80% petrol and 20% ethanol, has become a key part of the country's evolving retail fuel strategy.

Kejriwal called on Malviya to make public any study carried out before the rollout of E20 petrol.

Responding in another post on X, Malviya said Kejriwal's claims were driven not by facts but "fear". He said the government had already clarified that no decision had been taken to increase ethanol blending beyond E20, adding that "raising a debate on some imaginary E50 is nothing but politics of spreading fear".

Rejecting the AAP leader's allegations, Malviya said it was incorrect to claim that E20 had been introduced "without any scientific study". In a separate post on X, he said the country's ethanol blending programme had been implemented in phases over more than two decades and that E20 was not a rushed decision.

Malviya added that extensive testing and consultations with all relevant stakeholders had been carried out before the implementation of E20 fuel.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has slammed the government's push for E20 petrol, alleging that the ethanol-blended fuel is harming vehicle owners.

On 4 August, the Delhi Police barred Kejriwal and other AAP leaders, along with around 100 supporters, from marching to the Prime Minister's residence to submit more than 2.30 lakh petitions opposing E20 petrol. The party members later staged a protest on Firoz Shah Road.