Arvind Kejriwal led a protest march toward Prime Minister Narendra Modi's residence on Monday to oppose the mandatory E20 ethanol-blended petrol policy [1].
The demonstration highlights growing political tension over fuel regulations and the ability of motorists to choose between blended and conventional petrol. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) argues that the current policy forces a specific fuel type on consumers without providing an alternative.
Kejriwal, the AAP national convenor and former Delhi chief minister, began the march at 12 p.m. [2] on Aug. 3, 2026 [3]. He was accompanied by other senior AAP leaders, including Manish Sisodia and Sanjay Singh, along with approximately 100 protesters [4].
The group aimed to reach the Prime Minister's official residence on Lok Kalyan Marg in New Delhi [5]. However, police stopped the march before it could reach the destination [6]. Following the intervention, Kejriwal and Sisodia staged a sit-in protest at the site where they were halted [7].
The AAP is demanding that the central government allow motorists to purchase conventional petrol alongside ethanol-blended fuel [8]. Leaders of the party said the current E20 petrol policy is a forced imposition on the public [9].
During the lead-up to the event, AAP representatives said that the central government yielded to external pressures from the U.S. in implementing the policy [10]. The party maintains that the transition to E20 fuel should not be mandatory for all vehicle owners.
“Arvind Kejriwal led a protest march toward Prime Minister Narendra Modi's residence”
This protest signals a shift in the AAP's strategy to challenge central environmental and energy mandates through direct action. By framing the E20 policy as a matter of consumer choice and national sovereignty, the party is attempting to mobilize vehicle owners who may be concerned about engine compatibility or fuel efficiency with higher ethanol blends.