Youth Congress workers protest outside Gadkari’s house in Nagpur, several detained
The police were deployed along with barricades on the route near Mr Gadkari’s house; several protesters attempted to climb over them to proceed. At least 30 Congress office bearers and party functionaries were detained
On Monday, August 3, 2026, the Maharashtra Pradesh Youth Congress organized a protest outside Union Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari's residence in Nagpur over the government's ethanol-blended fuel policy. The protesters, led by MPYC chief Shivraj More, gathered at Chitnivis Park Square in Mahal and marched to Gadkari Wada at 1 p.m. Police were present along the route, constructing barricades.
Protesters attempted to scale over the barricades to continue their demonstration. At least 30 Congress office bearers and party functionaries were detained near Gadkari's house while raising slogans about the "unviability" of E20 fuel.
Congress leader Praful Gudade stated that the issue is larger, as the E20 fuel is causing vehicle damage and the government had promised a lower price of around ₹50, while the actual price remains above ₹100. E20-blended fuel has been met with criticism due to reduced mileage, engine wear, and clogged injectors, with older vehicles not being compatible with the new fuel.
The protest turned political as both AAP and Congress condemned the central government. Nagpur Congress office-bearers accused Gadkari and his family of profiting from the E20 petrol policy. Last week, Gadkari filed a civil suit against social media platforms for spreading "defamatory misinformation" regarding E20 fuel. Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh criticized Gadkari on X, arguing that he claimed the E-20 rollout was scientifically tested, yet consumers have complained about reduced mileage, engine performance issues, and the policy's viability.
Written by urgent.news from The Hindu's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — it may contain errors, so check the original before relying on it.
