After CJP’s success, ‘E20 Janta Party’ makes waves, seeks ethanol-free petrol option and Gadkari’s ouster

Riding on the success of the Cockroach Janta Party, a new digital community, which has similarly named itself E20 Janta Party, has emerged and started making waves on the internet while protesting against ethanol-blended petrol. At the time of the filing of this story, the E20 party had 294,000 followers on Instagram.

The E20 Janta Party is demanding the option to choose 100% original fuel at a discounted price and the resignation of Union Minister Nitin Gadkari.

An account named ‘E20 Janta Party’ on X dates back to May 2024, suggesting that the name was different earlier and has been changed recently to encash the current social media trend of addressing issues through satire by gathering supporters online.

The ‘E20 Janta Party’ X account had more than 52,000 followers on Monday.

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‘E20 Janta Party is not a political party’

It says in one post, “E20 Janta Party is not a political party.”

“We are an independent citizens’ movement focused on raising issues that affect the common people. Our only agenda is to ensure transparency, protect consumer rights, and encourage an open public discussion on the real impact of India’s E20 (20% Ethanol Blended Petrol) policy,” it added.

“We do not support or endorse any political party. Our support is for the people, not for any political ideology,” it said.

Another post called for the resignation of Nitin Gadkari. “Nitin Gadkari ji must Resign!”

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‘No leader, minister can be bigger than the country’

Another post that seems to be inspired by the CJP narrative says, “No leader, no Minister can be bigger than the country. The country is the greatest.”

“For decades, many politicians in India behaved as if they were elected to rule the people. For the first time, Gen Z is reminding them of a simple truth: They were elected to serve the people. The era of rulers is fading. The era of public servants has begun. Those who forget the difference will keep losing their chairs,” the post read.

Responding to questions on the identity of its founder, it said, “Please don’t get distracted by rumours about who is behind this movement or where it is being operated from. Such speculation only takes attention away from the real issue.”

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Meanwhile, another account by the same name and around 28,000 followers announced a Parliament march on August 4, saying that taxi, tourist, and commercial vehicle owners from across India will march to Parliament to protest against E20 ethanol-blended petrol and the mandatory installation of expensive GPS and panic button systems.

E20 fuel available at fuel stations is a blend of 20 per cent ethanol and 80 per cent petrol and was promoted to cut crude oil imports, lower vehicle emissions, and support farmers. The E20 fuel is described by the government as a technologically advanced fuel.

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However, critics claim that E20 fuel reduces mileage and damages vehicle engines, but the government maintains it is safe and clean and that no laboratory tests or real-world usage has proven that E20 causes any damage or wear and tear to engines.

The E20 Party’s arrival is being credited to the success of CJP, which withdrew its month-long protest last week after Dharmendra Pradhan resigned as education minister.