Allegations of excess ethanol in petrol; Indian government denies

A Karnataka minister and the opposition leader allege that petrol exceeds permitted ethanol blending limits, while oil companies maintain compliance with national standards.

Public concern is growing in India following allegations of excessive ethanol concentrations in petrol, according to reports by the BBC and the Times of India. Priyank Kharge, a minister in the Karnataka state government, claimed that laboratory tests conducted in seven districts showed ethanol levels exceeding the official 20 percent limit, describing the situation as an "experiment on 1.3 billion people." Opposition leader in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, supported the claims and challenged the central government on the matter. Conversely, state-run oil marketing companies have contested these findings, asserting that they remain in full compliance with national regulations. Further details regarding the final lab results have not yet been released.