Citizens’ initiative Team Bharat has announced a peaceful road rally in New Delhi on July 31 to raise concerns about the implementation of the government’s E20 ethanol-blended petrol policy while advocating for greater consumer choice in fuel availability.
Titled “Gaadi March, Gandhi March,” the rally will begin at India Gate and follow a route passing the residences and offices of Union Ministers Nitin Gadkari and Hardeep Singh Puri, before concluding near Parliament Street, according to the organisers.
Team Bharat clarified that the demonstration is not opposed to ethanol blending as a policy. Instead, the group is calling for greater transparency in its implementation and more fuel options for consumers. Among its key demands are the continued availability of E10 petrol for vehicles designed to run on E10 fuel, a reduction in the price of E0 petrol, a 20% price discount on E20 fuel, and the public disclosure of documents related to the formulation and implementation of the E20 policy.
The organisation has also urged the government to address concerns surrounding pre-2023 vehicles, which it claims have been adversely affected by the use of E20-blended petrol. In addition, Team Bharat has called for greater clarity regarding what it describes as a potential conflict of interest involving Union Minister Nitin Gadkari in relation to the ethanol policy.
Participants are expected to carry placards and banners displaying messages such as “Meri Gaadi, Mera Adhikar,” “Meri Bike, Meri Choice,” and “Our Vehicles. Our Choice. Our Right.”
According to the organisers, the rally will be conducted peacefully and in compliance with all applicable permissions, traffic regulations, and law enforcement guidelines. Participants have been urged to maintain discipline, cooperate with authorities, and ensure that the event remains focused solely on issues related to fuel policy and ethanol blending.
