BJP MP defends ethanol policy with controversial remark

BJP MP Janardan Mishra sparked fresh controversy on Sunday, August 9, 2026, with a sharp defense of the central government's ethanol-blending policy, taunting critics by asking if "pure petrol" would come from their fathers' houses. The remarks, made at an event in Rewa, Madhya Pradesh, came just days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi advised party MPs to avoid making controversial public statements.

Mishra, the Lok Sabha MP from Rewa, was inaugurating new flight services connecting Rewa with Bhopal and Kolkata when he addressed the ongoing debate over the E20 fuel policy, which mandates blending 20% ethanol with petrol. He argued that India's heavy dependence on imported crude oil makes domestic alternatives essential. "India produces only 20% of its crude oil, while 80% has to be imported," Mishra said, according to multiple reports. He cited the global geopolitical situation, claiming that oil tankers now have to travel an additional 18,000 kilometers to supply India.

"In such a situation, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi talks about blending 20% ethanol in petrol, some people start protesting," Mishra stated. He characterized the opposition as a movement claiming ethanol...