Congress workers detained during protest against alleged excessive ethanol blending in Bengaluru

Several members of the Bengaluru Central District Congress Committee were taken into police custody on Monday after staging a protest against what they described as illegal and excessive ethanol blending in petrol.

The demonstration was held outside an HP petrol bunk opposite Nataraja Theatre near Mantri Mall in Bengaluru. Protesters raised slogans against oil marketing companies and the BJP-led government's fuel policy, alleging that recent laboratory test findings had indicated ethanol blending beyond permissible limits.

The demonstrators accused the oil companies of compromising consumer interests and raised allegations of corruption in connection with the issue. They also directed their criticism at Union Ministers Hardeep Singh Puri and Nitin Gadkari, raising slogans against them during the protest.

As the demonstration intensified, police intervened, citing the need to prevent disruption to vehicular movement in the busy locality. Several protesters were subsequently taken into custody.

The protest comes amid an ongoing debate in Karnataka over the ethanol content in petrol and its compatibility with vehicles. The State government has questioned oil marketing companies over their response to its E20 fuel testing findings, while the companies have challenged the State's conclusions.

The Congress protest has added a political dimension to the controversy, with the party demanding accountability from oil companies and the Union government over fuel quality and consumer safety.

The allegations of excessive blending and corruption raised during the demonstration remain claims made by the protesters and have not been independently established in the information provided.