Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, has leveled serious allegations against major oil marketing companies, claiming they are supplying petrol with ethanol concentrations exceeding the government-mandated 20 per cent limit. Citing laboratory tests conducted on fuel samples from seven districts in Karnataka, Gandhi asserted that 11 out of 14 samples contained ethanol levels above the permitted threshold.
In a post on X, Gandhi criticized the Centre’s ethanol-blending initiative, stating, "E20 turned into 420 - stealing petrol from the public's cars!" He further challenged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to address the transparency of fuel testing and the potential impact on consumers, asking, "Modi ji, tell us - what’s being put in the country’s tank? How much ethanol is actually in the petrol? When will action be taken against companies mixing more than 20% ethanol?"
The samples in question were collected from Bengaluru, Kolar, Chikkaballapura, Bengaluru Rural, Ramanagara, Mangaluru, and Tumakuru. According to the data shared by Gandhi, fuel from Indian Oil Corporation (IOCL) and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) showed ethanol concentrations of 31.2 per cent and 30.5 per cent, respectively. The testing also involved samples from Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL), Nayara Energy, and Shell. Gandhi alleged that the companies' own internal laboratories failed to disclose these levels.
This controversy follows earlier findings by the Karnataka government, which utilized the NABL-accredited and ISO-certified Shriram Research Institute in Bengaluru for testing. State Minister for Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs, Rizwan Arshad, previously noted that the state sought independent testing after oil companies failed to provide ethanol content data in their own reports.
In response, the three public sector oil marketing companies—IOCL, BPCL, and HPCL—issued a joint statement categorically disputing the findings. They maintained that all E20 fuel supplied nationwide adheres to the Bureau of Indian Standards specification IS 17021. The companies criticized the sampling process conducted in October 2026, noting that their representatives were not present and that they were not provided with retention samples or complete documentation.
Furthermore, the oil companies dismissed claims regarding massive financial losses in vehicle mileage and repair costs, labeling such figures as lacking scientific and technical substantiation. They argued that the third-party laboratory certificates cited by the state government lacked the necessary technical details to verify the testing methods used. The dispute has intensified scrutiny over the national ethanol-blending program, which aims to reduce crude oil imports and lower emissions, while raising concerns about fuel quality and vehicle compatibility.
