Kejriwal Alleges Centre Forced SIAM to Withdraw E20 Fuel Report

AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday alleged that the Centre forced the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) to withdraw a report that had raised concerns over the quality of E20 fuel, claiming the move was aimed at suppressing findings that questioned the government's ethanol-blending programme.

Addressing a press conference, Kejriwal claimed SIAM had submitted a report to the Centre on July 28, stating that high levels of chloride and moisture in E20 fuel could damage vehicle components. He alleged that after government pressure, SIAM withdrew the communication by August 4, saying the findings required further verification.

Questioning the government's push for E20 fuel, Kejriwal said, "When science and engineering are saying that E20 is harmful, why is the Modi government forcing it on the country?" He also reiterated that the rollout of E20 would increase vehicle maintenance costs, adding to consumers' financial burden.

SIAM, however, rejected any suggestion of a public safety concern and clarified that it withdrew its communication to the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MoPNG) because the figures cited required further authentication through broader data collection and consultations with member automobile manufacturers.

The industry body said the letter was part of routine technical discussions involving SIAM, oil marketing companies (OMCs), automobile manufacturers and testing agencies. According to reports, the withdrawn communication had highlighted corrosion and wear linked to high chloride content in fuel used by some affected vehicles.

SIAM said the MoPNG has prescribed a 3 ppm chloride/sulphur limit for ethanol blended into petrol and that OMCs conduct water-ingress tests 8–12 times daily at over 87,000 fuel outlets, with additional checks after rainfall.

Reaffirming its support for the government's E20 programme, SIAM said it is vital for India's energy security and stressed there is no cause for public concern, as such technical issues are routinely addressed. There was no immediate response from the Centre to Kejriwal's allegations.