Arvind Kejriwal Announces ‘National Town Hall Against E20’ on August 1, Says Nearly 2 Lakh People Back Petition

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor Arvind Kejriwal has announced a ‘National Town Hall Against E20’ to be held on August 1 at the Constitution Club of India, intensifying the party’s campaign against ethanol-blended petrol.

Addressing a press conference on Monday, Kejriwal said the event would bring together experts, vehicle owners, and citizens to discuss concerns surrounding E20 fuel and explore ways to persuade the Central Government to reconsider its implementation.

AAP Calls for Public Participation

Inviting people from across the country to participate, Arvind Kejriwal said the town hall would serve as a platform to discuss the impact of E20 petrol and formulate a collective strategy to urge the Centre to withdraw the policy.”We are inviting people to join this platform in large numbers where we will discuss how to create pressure on the central government to withdraw the E20 petrol. Experts and people who have faced problems with their vehicles are all invited,” Kejriwal said.

He also announced that those wishing to attend virtually can register by sending a message to the designated number, after which they will receive an online link to join the discussion.

Nearly Two Lakh Signatures on Online Petition

Kejriwal said the AAP had earlier launched an online petition demanding that E20 petrol should be made optional instead of mandatory.

According to him, the campaign has already received nearly two lakh signatures, reflecting growing public concern over the issue.

The former Delhi Chief Minister added that after the August 1 town hall, he plans to submit the petition to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.”Next week, I will go to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s house with the online petition. But that would be after this meeting,” he said.

Earlier this month, Kejriwal had also written to the Prime Minister seeking an appointment to discuss concerns regarding ethanol-blended fuel and to advocate for lower prices of petrol containing ethanol.

Kejriwal Rejects Punjab Paper Leak Allegations

Apart from the E20 campaign, Kejriwal strongly denied allegations of examination paper leaks in Punjab, accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of attempting to damage the image of the AAP government.

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He claimed that during the party’s tenure in Delhi and Punjab, there had been no incidents of paper leaks, contrasting it with allegations that have surfaced in several BJP-ruled states.

Kejriwal also highlighted Punjab’s improvement in national education rankings, stating that the state had risen from 27th position to the top rank under the AAP government.

BJP Hits Back

Responding to Kejriwal’s remarks, Delhi BJP president Harsh Malhotra dismissed the AAP leader’s claims and alleged that examination paper leak incidents had indeed occurred in Punjab.

Malhotra referred to allegations surrounding the Pharmacist recruitment examination, claiming the issue had been under public discussion for several days. He also accused the Punjab government of failing to address students’ concerns and alleged that protesters demanding the resignation of Punjab Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains had faced police action.

According to Malhotra, Kejriwal was ignoring demands for accountability within his own party while criticising the BJP on similar issues elsewhere.

E20 Campaign Takes Centre Stage

Despite the political exchange over Punjab, Kejriwal used Monday’s address primarily to strengthen the AAP’s nationwide campaign against E20 petrol.

With the National Town Hall Against E20 scheduled for August 1, the party hopes to mobilise public opinion before formally submitting its petition to the Prime Minister, seeking changes to the Centre’s ethanol-blended fuel policy.