Now Reading: Union minister Joshi slams Congress over ethanol blending row
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Union minister Joshi slams Congress over ethanol blending row
The Story in Brief
Union minister Pralhad Joshi on Tuesday, 10 November 2026, accused the Congress of misleading the public on ethanol blending in petrol, calling it a ‘bogus movement led by a bogus leader’ Rahul Gandhi. Joshi said the Congress was trying to appease minorities and Gandhi, while the government’s policy aimed to support farmers and reduce import dependence.
Joshi said crude oil is expensive and petrol’s base price is Rs 53, while ethanol costs Rs 57 to 71 from maize, so there is no commercial logic in Congress’s claims. He also questioned Congress’s protests on EVMs and electoral rolls. The Karnataka government, through minister Rizwan Arshad, said its tests found ethanol blend above 20% in several districts, up to 31.2%, contrary to policy.
Arshad said oil companies tested their own products and demanded independent verification. Joshi said the state should use the Centre’s test results and offered to send an OMC officer for a debate with Arshad as judge.
Indian Opinion Analysis
Times of India and The Print both reported Joshi’s attack, but The Print included Arshad’s detailed rebuttal, where he questioned the OMCs’ self-certification and demanded independent testing, while Times of India focused on Joshi’s jibe. The Print also noted Joshi’s offer of a debate, giving more weight to the state’s counter. The balanced reading is that the Centre defends its policy on economic and procedural grounds, while Karnataka stands by its independent findings, leaving the factual dispute over ethanol levels unresolved. Both sides agree on the need for proper testing, the next step is whether the Centre will agree to an independent verification framework, as Karnataka demands.
The coverage is uniform in reporting the core dispute, with The Print offering a fuller picture of the state’s position.
Coverage: 2 sources, 2 neutral
Sources (2): timesofindia.indiatimes.com (neutral report), theprint.in (neutral report)
This brief was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above, so one read covers every framing they carry. Methodology and corrections.
