Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi
New Delhi, July 30: A day prior to the scheduled 'Gaadi March' protesting the Union government’s E20 ethanol-blended petrol rollout in the national capital, political analyst Tehseen Poonawalla was picked up by the Delhi Police on Thursday, July 30.
Poonawalla alleged that the central government was attempting to suppress his voice, whilst revealing that his Instagram handle had been suspended, The Statesman reported.
“Currently, police officials are not allowing me to go near the Parliament. But I will not stop talking about this matter. I want to clearly state that I am not scared of Union Minister Nitin Gadkari. You can do whatever you want, but I will not stop, since your policy is wrong. You can ask police officials to put me in jail, but I will keep fighting against you,” Poonawalla stated in a video broadcast on X.
To highlight the action taken against his social media presence, Poonawalla shared a screenshot indicating that his Instagram account was suspended on 30 July, leaving him a 180-day window to lodge an appeal before it is permanently disabled.
“My message to Shri Nitin Gadkari ji after my Instagram account has been suspended. Sir, do what you can, I will continue to expose the #EthanolScam. I don’t get scared of you and you are in conflict wrt Ethanol distilleries owned by your children,” he wrote on X.
Earlier in the day, Poonawalla claimed that Delhi Police officers were actively preventing him from advancing near Vijay Chowk.
“I have to give bites have now come from back side ! Seriously what is going on? Is there an #EthanolEmergency in INDIA?” he posted.
Directing a message to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on X, Poonawalla maintained that he had remained “very decent in my discourse” throughout his campaign.
“My opposition to the mandatory E20 blending policy has been a factual one. Respected PM sir, on one hand you encourage your ministers, MPs to join Instagram on the other hand my account is suspended when it is trending. I leave this to your judgement. With humility, I will continue to fight within the walls of decency and within democratic means,” his statement read.
The police intervention comes directly ahead of a planned road rally organised by Team Bharat, a citizens’ initiative aimed at raising concerns over the implementation of the central government's E20 policy. Poonawalla previously outlined that the 'Gaadi March' would kickstart from India Gate on July 31, following a route past the residences and offices of Union Ministers Nitin Gadkari and Hardeep Singh Puri, before concluding at Parliament Street.
Meanwhile, the central government informed Parliament on Monday that it had not assessed the precise proportion of vehicles across India that are fully compatible with E20 petrol. However, authorities maintained that comprehensive field trials and scientific studies confirmed the fuel to be safe under prescribed standards, according to PTI.
In a written reply in the Rajya Sabha, minister of state for petroleum and natural gas Suresh Gopi stated, “Ministry of Heavy Industries (MHI) have informed that no such assessment has been done by them” regarding the fleet percentage compatible with E20 fuel—petrol blended with 20% ethanol.