Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Friday (August 7, 2026) stepped up his attack on the Narendra Modi government over the blending of ethanol in petrol, alleging that E20 fuel was “stealing” from people and damaging their vehicles.

Calling the issue “very big”, Mr. Gandhi said the Congress would take it up “in a big way”, but indicated that the party was currently working out the sequencing of issues it wanted to raise.

“Normally, we say ‘daal mein kuchh kaala hai, magar ye daal hi kaali hai’,” he said in a video posted on X.

“Our problem right now is that there is so much corruption that there is a huge line in what we have to sequence,” the Congress leader said, alleging that E20 was “destroying people’s scooters, destroying people’s lives, and literally stealing directly from them”.

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Mr. Gandhi’s remarks came amid the political debate over the mandatory blending of ethanol in petrol and its alleged impact on older vehicles. The government has maintained that ethanol blending helps reduce dependence on imported crude oil and cut emissions.

Outreach to youth

Meanwhile, Mr. Gandhi continued his outreach to young people through Instagram, answering questions from users in an “Ask Me Anything” session that ranged from student protests and politics to dogs, memes and his childhood memories.

Asked whether he was Batman, Mr. Gandhi offered a tongue-in-cheek response: “Let’s just say that no one has ever seen me and Batman in the same room together.”

Asked about his favourite meme from the student protests last month, he took a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying the videos from Mr. Modi’s residence at midnight were the best, as they showed “a new panicked Prime Minister”.

The interaction also had a personal touch, with Mr. Gandhi appearing with Noorie, his mother’s dog. Asked about being a dog parent, he said animals should not be considered possessions but fellow inhabitants of the planet who deserved “respect, love and affection”.

Asked to name his favourite BJP politician, he chose former Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh, describing him as “cool” and an expert on military history.

Mr. Gandhi also spoke about his father Rajiv Gandhi, recalling flying with him when he was a pilot as his favourite moments. He also listed the philosophies of figures including the Buddha, Guru Nanak, Shankardev, Birsa Munda, Periyar, Mahatma Phule, Narayana Guru, B.R. Ambedkar and Mahatma Gandhi as influences on the Constitution.

The Instagram initiative started on a day when Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat had an interaction with the Gen Z.

Published - August 07, 2026 09:38 pm IST