Anti-E20 campaign was paid to target me politically: Gadkari

A day after criticising the "petroleum lobby" over the 20 per cent ethanol-blended petrol (E20) controversy, Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari on Thursday said a paid social media campaign was launched to target him politically.

- DHRUVAKSH SAHA

"The way your industry works, so does politics. The social media campaign was paid — it was against ethanol and it was done to target me politically. There is no fact in it; everything is clear. (Ethanol blending is) import substitute, cost-effective, pollution-free, and indigenous," the minister said at the annual convention of Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (Siam) in New Delhi.

Gadkari said automobile manufacturers and organisations, such as the Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI), had already made clear their findings on ethanol blending in petrol. The minister added that the Supreme Court was approached on the matter, and it had been clarified on the judicial front.