Kejriwal vows to continue AAP’s protest against E20 fuel rollout

AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal said the party will intensify its campaign against E20 fuel, urging people to join protests. He claimed the policy benefits foreign interests, vowed legislative opposition in Goa and Gujarat, and criticised the Centre's push for implementation

New Delhi: AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday said his party’s campaign against E20 fuel would continue and urged people to join the protest in large numbers if they wanted to stop its implementation.

Addressing a press conference after leading a march towards the Prime Minister’s residence with petitions opposing E20 fuel, Kejriwal said the party would also oppose any move to implement the policy in states where it has legislators.

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“We have MLAs in Goa and Gujarat and we will not allow E20 to be passed there either. Our legislators will oppose it in the assemblies,” he said. Kejriwal said only around 100 people had accompanied the march on Tuesday, but they had shown courage by participating despite facing criticism and trolling on social media.

Delhi Police on Tuesday stopped Kejriwal and other party leaders from marching towards the Prime Minister’s residence with around 100 people to submit over 2.30 lakh petitions against E20 fuel, prompting them to stage a protest on Firoz Shah Road.

“If people want to get rid of E20, they will have to come out on the streets in large numbers,” he said. AAP MP Sanjay Singh, claimed he had raised the issue in Parliament and received a reply that indicated the Centre was determined to implement E20. “I raised the question in Parliament today and the answer makes it clear that the government is determined to implement E20,” Singh claimed.

He also alleged that Indian farmers would not benefit from ethanol production and claimed that the policy would instead benefit farmers in the United States.

Kejriwal urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to “withstand the pressure” of President Donald Trump and stop importing ethanol from the United States, alleging that the policy favoured foreign interests over Indian farmers.