E20 petrol mandate: Delhi cab & transport operators plans Parliament march on August 4

Angry cab and tour operators are taking their battle against ethanol-blended petrol directly to Lawmakers. Frustrated by vehicle damage and a lack of fueling alternatives, Delhi-based transport bodies have called for a protest march to Parliament on August 4 to demand an immediate rollback of forced E20 petrol.

The demonstration, spearheaded by the Delhi Taxi and Tourist Transporters and Tour Operators Association alongside other transport groups, aims to highlight growing national pushback against the blended fuel policy.

"We are planning to hold a protest march to Parliament on August 4 against ethanol blended petrol demanding its withdrawal. We want to give a wake-up call to the member of parliaments who are sleeping till now on this issue, as the problems in vehicles from the ethanol blending are coming from across the country," said Sanjay Samrat, president of the association.

Addressing recent social media developments, Samrat clarified that the transport bodies are operating independently of newly formed digital campaigns.

"We do not want to make this a political issue, and are not associated with any 'E-20 Janta Party' or Cockroach Janta Party or any other political party," Samrat added.

The decision to march comes shortly after the emergence of the 'E-20 Janata Party', an online movement modeled after the CJP that quickly built a substantial following across Instagram and X. The broader policy surrounding E20 — a mixture of 20% ethanol and 80% petrol — has faced intense criticism over reports of reduced mileage, accelerated engine wear, and potential conflicts of interest.

Industry leaders emphasised that their primary grievance centers on the lack of consumer choice at the pump, clarifying that a widespread work stoppage is not currently on the table.

"We have said that ethanol blended petrol should not be forced upon commuters, there should be a choice, currently there is no option being given. We are supporting the protest march to Parliament, there is no call for any strike given by the association as of now," said Harish Sabharwal, national president of the All India Motor Transport Congress.

Echoing these concerns, Rajender Kapoor, president of the All India Motor & Goods Transport Association, highlighted the physical toll the fuel takes on fleets.

"This is a major issue, this is damaging vehicles, we hope the government makes E 20 blended petrol a choice for commuters," Kapoor said.

Despite the mounting resistance, the government continues to stand by its flagship policy. Officials have defended the blending initiative as a safe, clean alternative that supports domestic farmers, while ruling out any immediate plans to push ethanol levels beyond the current 20% threshold.