Archive · 7 Aug 2026
Rahul Gandhi's E20 Warning Draws Criticism Over Video Car
Rahul Gandhi is a leader of the Congress party in India.
He made a video saying that a type of car fuel called E20 is hurting people.
E20 is petrol that has some ethanol mixed into it.
He said the fuel damages cars and scooters and takes money out of people's pockets.
He also said there is too much corruption in the country.
Many people on the internet noticed something funny about his video.
The car next to him had a label saying it was made to use E20 fuel.
Some people said he picked the wrong car to make his point.
Others said the real problem is that the fuel sold at pumps is even stronger, like E50.
They said many petrol stations do not have the right tanks for such fuel, so it gets dirty.
Rahul Gandhi called E20 ethanol-blended petrol a "very big issue," saying it is destroying people's vehicles and "stealing from people."
He alleged widespread corruption, saying "there is so much corruption" in a video posted on X.
Social media users zoomed in on the video and noted that the car's fuel tank is labeled E20-compliant.
Critics said using an E20-compliant car undermined his warning, with some mocking the choice of vehicle.
Supporters countered that the real problem is higher blends like E50+ and a lack of proper storage infrastructure at petrol pumps.
- Who
- Rahul Gandhi, Congress leader, and social media users reacting to his video.
- What
- A warning that E20 blended petrol damages vehicles and takes money from people, sparking a dispute over the car used in the video.
- When
- August 7, when the video was posted on X.
- Where
- India; the video was posted on X (New Delhi dateline).
- Why
- Gandhi alleged corruption and said the fuel is damaging vehicles, disrupting lives, and squeezing people's finances.
Rahul Gandhi and supporters
Social media critics
Blended fuel harm
Rahul Gandhi and supporters
E20 is damaging people's cars and scooters, disrupting their lives, and taking money directly out of their pockets.
Social media critics
The car Gandhi used in his video is clearly labeled E20-compliant, so the example undercuts his claim.
Actual fuel blend and infrastructure
Rahul Gandhi and supporters
Vehicles are compatible only up to E20, yet the government has increased ethanol further; most petrol pumps lack specially designed tanks to store higher-ethanol fuel, which gets heavily contaminated.
Social media critics
The fuel being sold is E50+, not just E20, and critics say the problem lies in Gandhi's intention and political motive, not the fuel.
- Speaker
- Rahul Gandhi, Congress leader
- Target
- Narendra Modi government
- Issue
- E20 ethanol-blended petrol damaging vehicles
- Platform
- Video posted on X
- Date
- August 7
- Key phrase
- "Daal me kuchh kaala hai, magar ye daal hi kaali hai"
- Controversy
- Car in video marked E20-compliant
- Counter-argument
- Pumps may dispense E50+; infrastructure lacking
