Amid the controversy over the blending of ethanol with petrol, BJP MP Janardan Mishra Sunday defended the Centre's policy as he questioned those opposing it: "Will pure petrol come from your father's house?" Speaking at the inauguration of new flight services from Rewa to Bhopal and Kolkata, Mishra said India produces only 20 per cent of its crude oil demands, while 80 per cent has to be imported from abroad. Citing the global geopolitical turmoil, the MP from Rewa claimed that the vessels carrying oil from the Gulf nations have to travel an additional distance of approximately 18,000 km to bring the imports to India. "In such a situation, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi talks about blending 20 per cent ethanol in petrol, some people start protesting. A movement is underway claiming that ethanol won't work; pure petrol will. Will pure petrol come from your father's house? If there's no pure petrol in the country, where will it come from?" he asked. Mishra also stated that vehicles in India can run on ethanol-blended petrol, but some are misleading people against it. "If ethanol is not produced, where will petrol come from, where will diesel come from?" He further claimed that the vehicles in Brazil run on 100 per cent ethanol, and that too without any issues. Brazil produces the maximum amount of ethanol in the world, and hence vehicles there run on 100 per cent ethanol, he said. Known for his controversial comments, Mishra said experts in India also believe that ethanol does not cause any damage to vehicle engines, yet there is "unnecessary" opposition to it. Mishra also claimed that if there is any place in the world today where employment is highest and inflation is the lowest, it is in India. - with inputs from PTI
