Indian Minister Accuses Government of Misleading Public on Ethanol Blending in Petrol

BENGALURU: Minister for IT and BT and Home Minister Priyank Kharge here on Saturday accused the Union government of misleading people over ethanol blending in petrol, alleging that the policy was being pursued to benefit companies associated with Union Ministers rather than serve public interest. He also challenged the BJP and JD(S) to produce evidence to substantiate allegations against the Siddhartha Vihar Trust, asserting that he was ready to place his family's financial records in the public domain. Speaking to reporters, Kharge claimed that reports from laboratories accredited by the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL) had detected ethanol content of 35–40% in some samples, exceeding the limits indicated by the Union government. "The Government of India is lying through its teeth to the people. You are experimenting on 1.3 billion people. How does that even work?" he asked. Recalling the Union government's submissions before the Supreme Court, he said the Solicitor General had described ethanol blending as an experiment and indicated that it was not intended for nationwide implementation. Kharge alleged that the policy was aimed at facilitating profiteering by companies linked to Union Ministers. He also accused the BJP of compromising constitutional institutions for political gains.