Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari hit back at a Bihar-based YouTuber who had alleged that ethanol-blended fuel damaged his Toyota vehicle, saying the claims were found to be baseless after the car was examined by the manufacturer.
Following an allegation by a Bihar-based YouTuber that ethanol-blended fuel had damaged his Toyota vehicle, Gadkarisaid the claims were found to be unfounded after the car was examined by the manufacturer.
A video posted by a Bihar-based YouTuber recently went viral in which he accused Gadkari of promoting ethanol-blended fuel, alleging that its use had caused damage to his Toyota vehicle.
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Speaking at an industry event, Gadkari said the YouTuber had publicly criticised him and blamed ethanol-blended petrol for a mechanical problem in his Toyota car.
According to the minister, Toyota asked the owner to send the vehicle for inspection to determine the cause of the alleged malfunction.
Gadkari said the YouTuber initially refused to hand over the vehicle for examination despite repeated requests from the company.
The vehicle was eventually submitted for inspection after the company warned of legal action, he added.
The minister said Toyota's technical examination found that the fuel tank contained a mixture of petrol and water, and not a fault linked to ethanol-blended fuel.
Based on the findings, Gadkari said the automaker registered an FIR against the YouTuber over the allegations.
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The remarks come as the government continues to push higher ethanol blending as part of its strategy to reduce crude oil imports, lower emissions and support India's sugarcane-based ethanol industry.
Gadkari has consistently maintained that ethanol-blended fuels are safe for compatible vehicles and have undergone extensive testing before being rolled out across the country.
The minister's comments also underscore the government's stance against what it considers misinformation surrounding ethanol-blended fuels, even as India evaluates a phased transition towards higher ethanol blends in the coming years.
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