Panaji: Aam Aadmi Party national convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday said that if BJP loses the upcoming Assembly elections in Goa and Uttar Pradesh and his party comes to power, the decision to implement E20 would be reversed in the two states soon after the election results are declared.
He also said that if the decision was not reversed within five days, he would quit politics.
Kejriwal said people in Goa are troubled by E20 and alleged that BJP was acting out of arrogance, believing that people would continue voting for it regardless of its decisions.
“Goans are finding that their vehicles are giving lower mileage, and their fuel systems and engines are getting damaged,” he said, pointing out that several mechanics had brought carburettors and shown how they were getting damaged through the blended fuel.
The AAP leader was speaking at a Town Hall event organised by his party in the city.
Kejriwal said Goa was among the states most affected by E20, as vehicle ownership in the state was much higher than the national average.
“Nearly 87 per cent of people in Goa own two-wheelers, while around 47 per cent own a car, making the state particularly vulnerable to issues linked to E20 fuel,” he said.
Kejriwal also criticised the central government’s ethanol policy, alleging that excessive diversion of sugarcane for ethanol production had led to a shortage of sugar in the country, forcing India to import it.
He also questioned whether experts had warned the government about the possible consequences, saying that the foreign exchange supposedly saved through ethanol blending was ultimately spent on sugar imports.
Kejriwal said owners of nine automobile companies had told him that E20 fuel was dangerous. He also said these people were not speaking publicly due to pressure from the government and fear of action from government agencies, including raids by agencies such as the Enforcement Directorate and Central Bureau of Investigation.
“People across the country are raising their voices against E20. However, for reasons completely unknown to the people, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is not listening to the concerns raised by these people,” he said.
Meanwhile, mechanics, motorcycle pilots and locals raised concerns over E20-related vehicle problems during the event.
