The Great Blending Experiment : Diesel Next!!
Ethanol minister is ensuring PM Modi's government meets an India Shining 2.0 moment. After Ethanol in petrol, now time for Isobutanol blending in diesel -
https://x.com/i/status/2073095760015696060
Basis of this claim? Testing on just two Kirloskar generator sets. Yes, that's the entire sample size & scientific study to make such assertions.
The same Kirloskar group came out in public today defending the government on Ethanol -
https://x.com/i/status/2073079048096592082
What a camaraderie. Government & automobile sector working so closely.
Won't write further about the group & its links with BJP, CII, Indo-Japan Business Council (Japan's PM was in India with whom our government signed important deals), you can Google it out & read for yourself.
But the funny part is the statement given by Vikram Gulati, Country Head and Executive Vice President (Corporate Affairs and Governance) of Toyota Kirloskar Motor -
>"Every vehicle sold in the country after 2023 is E20-compliant. Even vehicles from before 2023 can run on E20 without any problem...."
This has to be the quickest self-contradictory statement in human history. If vehicles even before 2023 can run on E20 without any problem, why auto manufacturers are launching E20-compliant cars then?
And he said this not once but ANI has reported it in two separate tweets (hopefully they won't delete them this time unlike the HPCL official's Ethanol tweet controversy recently).
His second reiteration -
>"....E20 is the standard fuel that will be available, and it is compatible with old vehicles and new vehicles...."
https://x.com/i/status/2073074889519697942
Why is every assurance given on Ethanol by government or others always full of riddles, contradictions, controversies, tweets being deleted in broad daylight after it has travelled all over the world. What's being hidden that speaking the truth is getting so difficult?
The ARAI E20 testing report which the government is quoting in defence is top secret, not being made public for people to see. What is so confidential in a vehicle's fuel study that the government has to guard it as a state secret?
https://www.cartoq.com/car-life/arai-refuses-disclose-e20-petrol-testing-reports/
What must government do?
This entire controversy can be ended by simply keeping options for pure petrol open for vehicles older than the benchmark year given by their respective automobile companies.
Let people decide instead of forcing them. Give a little discount for Ethanol blended fuel for luring them to transition. Learn from your industrial buddy friends on how to launch a product & later monopolize it. Instead, the government is making it an ego issue, enforcing it on people with a cane in its hand like a disgruntled principal.
Possible consequences if this issue isn't amicably resolved-
- PM Modi is risking his government. Plain & simple. The opposition which has soft corner for the Ethanol minister is quiet on it & the RSS has its blessings on him. This poses a double challenge for the PM. But failing to act presents him as weak. The government has already fallen from grace after UGC fiasco, Ram Mandir theft, paper leaks, & now Ethanol. Add to it their legacy pathetic communication. Party's official IT wing has now started writing that this Ethanol (mess) was a policy being pursued even in UPA era. The same old classic last resort when nothing works for them - Nehru is responsible. The government itself is saying they are as good or bad as Congress.
- If diesel is attempted to be blended, be careful of truckers'/transport unions' strike. Unlike petrol blending which affects the common man who doesn't have street power, that won't be the case in case of diesel. Aandolan-jeevis are desperately seeking a successful street protest, & this government is wilfully going to hand it over on a platter.
- People are having immense pent up anger on plenty of issues & it will all add to it even if it means goods & services getting costlier for some time. It's in everyone's interest, most importantly for the government to pause these Ethanol - Isobutanol blending experiments till public opinion shifts favourably. Countries like Brazil have taken decades for transition. Government is executing it as a 100-meter dash where it can win the race but won't be let by people to participate in the run next time.
What should the people do?
Just stick to these three demands:
- Do all announcements of benefits of blending in the Parliament instead in media. Put it on record.
- Bring a white paper in Parliament & lay down every study, experiment, tests, & claims made on blending.
- How did the shares of Cian agro jump 3800% in just last 2 years alone? A 41₹ share turning 1600₹+ between July 2024-26, a whopping ~38x exponential returns! What is this secret sauce which the common man is missing out on & has no idea about? Is the excuse going to be - look at Mr. Vadra & blah blah blah? Well, it's been 12 years, you did nothing so don't even think of taking people down that lane. Barring the PM's image there is nothing left in the government now. And by keeping quiet, PM is letting the last wall of the fort fall.
Ask your MP to table these demands in parliament. Congress won't pick this up strongly & their silence says it all, so look for other parties or private members bill route.
If people's demands aren't met, they should work with transport unions & educate them on merits/demerits of blending so that no one misleads them into going into a strike. You are on your own in this matter. The price of eccentricity of a handful in his cabinet shouldn't be paid by the PM & the common man alike with costly goods & services.
VidurNeeti
