Youth Congress workers protest outside Gadkari’s house in Nagpur, several detained

The Maharashtra Pradesh Youth Congress on Monday (August 3, 2026) staged a protest outside Union Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari’s residence in Nagpur district over the Central government’s ethanol-blended fuel policy, criticising the increased financial burden on vehicle owners the impact on older vehicles, and shortcomings in its implementation.

MPYC chief Shivraj More led the march from Chitnivis Park Square in Mahal to Gadkari Wada at 1 p.m.

The police were deployed along with barricades on the route near Mr Gadkari’s house; several protesters attempted to climb over them to proceed. At least 30 Congress office bearers and party functionaries were detained near the Union Minister’s residence while they were raising slogans concerning the ‘unviability’ of E20 fuel.

Police detain a Maharashtra Youth Congress party worker during a protest against E20 (ethanol-blended petrol) at Union Minister Nitin Gadkari’s residence, in Nagpur on Monday (August 3, 2026).
| Photo Credit:
ANI

“Several Congress workers were taken into custody. However, the fight is bigger. E20 is destroying vehicles. Secondly, the government, including Nitin Gadkari, promised E20 petrol at a lower price of around ₹50; then why is petrol still above ₹100? Let police detain, we will keep voicing the issue,” said Nagpur Congress Chief Praful Gudade.

E20-blended fuel has sparked outrage as vehicle users have raised concerns around reduced mileage, engine wear, and clogged injectors. Consumers have also voiced concerns that older vehicles (before 2023) are not equipped for E20 fuel. 

The issue has become political as AAP and Congress have called out the central government on it. Nagpur Congress office-bearers marched to Nitin Gadkari’s residence alleging the Minister and his family profited from the E20 petrol policy.

Last week, Mr. Gadkari filed a civil suit in the Bombay High Court against social media platforms, including Meta, Google, X and others over “defamatory misinformation” over E20 fuel.

On Monday (August 3, 2026), Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh criticised Mr. Gadkari in a post on X, saying, “He claimed that the E-20 was rolled out after scientific testing of no vehicle damage, but consumers have complained of reduced mileage, engine performance issues, and viability of E20 petrol.”