Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal and senior party leaders staged a sit-in protest in the national capital on Tuesday after Delhi Police stopped their march towards the Prime Minister's residence over the Centre's E20 fuel policy.

The protest, held on Firoz Shah Road, saw Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia and other AAP leaders accusing the Union government of ignoring public concerns over ethanol-blended fuel. The party claimed it was carrying petitions signed by more than two lakh people demanding a review of the policy.

Police Stop March to PM's Residence

AAP leaders had planned to march to the Prime Minister's residence to submit a memorandum against the E20 policy.

However, Delhi Police halted the procession before it reached its destination, following which Kejriwal and several party leaders sat on the road in protest.

The party said it had informed the police in advance about its programme and maintained that the march was intended only to submit public petitions to the Prime Minister.

Kejriwal Seeks Meeting With PM

Addressing supporters before and during the protest, Kejriwal said he had written to Prime Minister Narendra Modiseeking an appointment to discuss concerns over E20 fuel but had not received a response.

He said the AAP wanted to hand over petitions signed by over two lakh citizens and urged the Prime Minister to meet the delegation.

Kejriwal also reiterated the party's demand that fuel stations continue to provide both conventional petrol and E20 fuel, while calling for a reduction in the price of ethanol-blended petrol.

Allegations Over Ethanol Policy

During the protest, Kejriwal alleged that the Centre was importing ethanol from the United States under pressure from US President Donald Trump.

He claimed that ethanol imported from the US was being imposed on Indian consumers and alleged that the policy could adversely affect a large number of existing vehicles.

The AAP chief described the issue as one that could trigger a nationwide public movement and said a campaign "bigger than the NEET protests" would be required to force the government to reconsider its policy.

These allegations have been made by the AAP leadership. The Union government has not accepted these claims.

AAP Says Public Concerns Ignored

AAP leaders accompanying the protest claimed that many vehicle owners had reported problems linked to the use of E20 fuel.

Delhi AAP president Saurabh Bhardwaj said the party had repeatedly appealed for dialogue with the Centre and accused the government of refusing to engage with citizens on the issue.

AAP leader Anurag Dhanda also alleged that crores of vehicles could be affected by the policy and urged the Centre to reconsider its implementation.

BJP Rejects Allegations

The Bharatiya Janata Party dismissed the AAP's campaign, calling it politically motivated.

BJP MP Tarun Chugh described the protest as "absurd" and said the ethanol blending programme had been introduced after scientific evaluation.

He argued that ethanol blending benefits farmers by increasing demand for agricultural produce used in ethanol production and accused the AAP of spreading misinformation.

Debate Over E20 Policy Continues

The protest comes amid growing political debate over the rollout of E20 petrol, following recent government acknowledgements that prolonged use of E20 fuel may require replacement of certain rubber components in older BS-III vehicles, though authorities have clarified that engine replacement is not required.

With the AAP stepping up its campaign and the BJP defending the policy, the issue is expected to remain a key political flashpoint in the coming weeks.