Rahul Gandhi Adds Petrol Chori to the List of ‘Chori’Narrative

"From Vote Chori to Kanoon Chori, from Sanstha Chori to Petrol Chori, Rahul Gandhi and the Congress seem to have found a new 'chori' narrative for every political occasion.

Having failed to make the earlier allegations stick, the party appears to be expanding its vocabulary of 'chori' to keep its political campaign alive."

Rahul Gandhi on Saturday attacked the Modi government over the rollout of E20 petrol, citing test results of samples collected by the Karnataka government, and asked the Centre to come clean on the actual ethanol content in fuel being sold across the country.

In a Hindi post on X, Rahul said that the government should be dealt with under Section 420 of the earlier Indian Penal Code since the petrol samples collected from seven districts in Karnataka have shown a higher percentage of ethanol, though the government claims that the petrol it was supplying contains only 20 per cent ethanol.

“The Karnataka government collected petrol samples from 7 districts and had them tested at an accredited lab. Look at the results – 11 out of 14 samples contained more than 20 per cent ethanol; 31.2 per cent at IOCL, 30.5 per cent at HPCL; IOCL, HPCL, BPCL, Nayara, Shell – whether government-owned or private – all exceeded the limit,” he claimed.

He also alleged that the companies’ own laboratories had not reported the ethanol content.

Gandhi claimed that excessive ethanol blending could affect vehicle performance, resulting in lower mileage and higher maintenance costs. He also questioned the absence of labels at fuel stations disclosing the ethanol content of petrol.

“Modi ji, tell us – what's being put in the country's tank? How much ethanol is actually in the petrol? When will action be taken against companies mixing more than 20 per cent ethanol?” he said.

Rahul also reiterated his demand for an open debate on this issue along with Vote Chori and other Chori’s.

His remarks came a day after the Karnataka government alleged that major oil marketing companies (OMCs) were supplying petrol with ethanol content exceeding the prescribed 20 per cent limit, with tests recording levels as high as 31.2 per cent. It had sought action against the companies.

The Karnataka Food, Civil Supplies, Consumer Affairs and Legal Metrology Minister Rizwan Arshad had stated that test results issued by the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories-accredited and ISO-certified Shriram Research Institute in Bengaluru, samples from Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) recorded ethanol content of 31.2 per cent and 30.5 per cent, respectively.

However, state-run OMCs Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), Bharat Petroleum Corporation (BPCL) and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation (HPCL) have disputed the Karnataka government's claims, questioning the sampling and testing procedures used to arrive at the findings.

The three companies said E20 petrol supplied across their retail networks, including in Karnataka, conforms to the Bureau of Indian Standards’ IS 17021 specifications, which prescribe an ethanol content of 19-21 per cent.

In a joint statement, the companies said the findings cited by the Karnataka government were not supported by tests conducted in accordance with prescribed statutory and technical procedures. They also questioned the use of third-party laboratory certificates, saying these did not disclose sufficient details of the testing methodology to independently verify the reported ethanol levels.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Gowri V

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A Journey of Three Decades Time passes faster than we realise. What feels like a journey that began only yesterday has today grown into more than three decades of a meaningful and fulfilling life devoted to education, journalism, and the empowerment of young minds. My professional journey began with journalism training in New Delhi in 1979. I went on to work as an independent journalist, drawing on my fluency in both English and Telugu. Over the years, I have edited and worked on Telugu articles in both languages, an experience that strengthened my command of language and sharpened my understanding of society, people, and contemporary issues. Yet, my principal profession and enduring passion have always been teaching. My decision to become a teacher was not merely a career choice—it was a calling. Teaching offered me the rare privilege of inspiring young minds, guiding them through their formative years, and making a lasting difference in their lives. I found immense satisfaction in simplifying complex concepts, nurturing curiosity, encouraging independent thought, and building confidence among students. Every moment in the classroom—every question, every moment of discovery, and every spark of understanding—reminded me why I had chosen this path: to empower young people through knowledge, values, and essential life skills. My teaching career began at the grassroots level as a Montessori teacher and gradually progressed to the position of Vice Principal. I had the opportunity to work in reputed educational institutions, including Dilsukhnagar Public School in Hyderabad, where I shouldered both teaching and administrative responsibilities. Although I have always considered myself, at heart, a teacher, my administrative experience enabled me to understand and contribute to the education system from a much broader perspective. For my students, I have always tried to be an approachable and dependable presence—someone they could turn to not only for academic support, but also for guidance and emotional encouragement. At the same time, I developed a reputation as a firm disciplinarian who believed that integrity, fairness, responsibility, and discipline were fundamental to education. I was also consistently appreciated for maintaining clear communication with parents and staff and for ensuring that examinations and other academic processes were conducted with transparency, fairness, and efficiency. As my career progressed, however, I began to feel that academic education alone was not enough. This realization led me to work more closely with students following the SSC and CBSE curricula, while consciously bringing life-skills education into my teaching. I came to understand that education becomes truly meaningful when it prepares children not merely to pass examinations, but to face life. Teaching emotional resilience, self-reliance, social awareness, communication, decision-making, and other practical life skills often had a deeper and more lasting impact than academic achievement alone. I saw how these skills could help students navigate challenges with greater confidence, maturity, and responsibility. My academic background provided a strong foundation for this approach. My degree in Psychology from the University of Madras helped me develop a deeper understanding of young people's minds, their emotional needs, and the influence of their family and social environments. My M.A. in Telugu with First Class from Osmania University.

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