A fresh political confrontation has emerged over the Centre's E20 ethanol-blended fuel policy, with Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener Arvind Kejriwal announcing a nationwide campaign against the move while Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari prepares legal action over deepfake videos circulating on social media. The developments come just days after former Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigned amid the NEET-UG controversy, with opposition parties attempting to build momentum around another public issue. According to reports, Gadkari has secured the court's permission to initiate legal proceedings against major social media platforms over AI-generated deepfake videos that allegedly link him to profiteering from the ethanol-blended fuel policy. The minister has not publicly commented on the legal strategy, but the move signals a tougher response to online misinformation.

The controversy has also taken a political turn after Arvind Kejriwal announced a "National Town Hall" scheduled for the coming weekend to rally public support against the E20 policy. Addressing a press conference, the former Delhi Chief Minister said his party plans to collect more than 200,000 petitions from across the country and submit them to Prime Minister Narendra Modi next week. Kejriwal argued that concerns surrounding E20 should be addressed before they escalate into a larger public movement. Referring to the recent resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan, he claimed that public pressure had forced the government to act in the education sector and urged the Centre to respond similarly on the ethanol issue. The AAP has indicated that it will continue its outreach campaign in multiple states over the next few days.

The Narendra Modi government has consistently defended the E20 ethanol-blended petrol policy, rejecting allegations that the fuel causes engine failures. Officials have maintained that while there may be a marginal reduction in fuel economy in some vehicles, the policy is intended to reduce India's dependence on imported crude oil, support domestic ethanol production, and lower emissions. The government has repeatedly said that compatible vehicles are designed to operate safely on E20 fuel. However, the issue has gained traction online in recent weeks, with viral memes, criticism from political opponents, and misleading content circulating across social media platforms. As legal proceedings over the deepfake videos move forward and political campaigning intensifies, the E20 policy is expected to remain a key point of debate in the coming days, both inside and outside the political arena.

 The Bombay High Court on Monday permitted Union Minister Nitin Gadkari to institute a civil suit against Meta, X Corp, Google LLC, YouTube, and other entities over the circulation of allegedly defamatory and AI-generated deepfake content linking him to the Centre's ethanol-blended fuel policy.

According to court proceedings reported by Bar and Bench, Gadkari has alleged that several social media posts, videos, reels and AI-generated clips falsely claimed he was personally responsible for the government's E20 petrol policy and that he and members of his family had financially benefited from its implementation.

The minister has termed the allegations false, malicious and defamatory, asserting that they have caused serious damage to his public reputation and personal credibility.

Gadkari Seeks Removal of Alleged Deepfakes

In the proposed civil suit, Gadkari has sought permanent and mandatory injunctions directing the removal of content that allegedly uses abusive language, falsely attributes statements to him and circulates manipulated audio and video generated through artificial intelligence.

The petition states that the disputed material unlawfully simulates his name, image, likeness and voice without his consent.

According to the suit, the circulation of such content has caused "grave and irreparable" harm to his reputation, dignity, goodwill and public image while also violating his personality and publicity rights.

Case Targets AI-Manipulated Content

The legal action specifically focuses on content that Gadkari claims has been digitally altered or fabricated using artificial intelligence technologies.

The petition distinguishes between legitimate public criticism and defamatory misinformation, stating that the suit is not intended to suppress fair debate or criticism based on factual information.

Instead, it argues that the impugned content crosses the limits of protected free speech by spreading false allegations through manipulated media designed to mislead viewers.

Social Media Platforms Named as Defendants

The proposed suit names several major technology companies as defendants, including:

• Meta (Facebook and Instagram)

• X Corp

• Google LLC

• YouTube

• Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY)

• Department of Telecommunications (DoT)

The petition also includes unidentified individuals responsible for creating and distributing the disputed content, who have been impleaded as "Ashok Kumars/John Does", allowing legal action against persons whose identities are currently unknown.

Growing Legal Focus on Deepfakes

The case adds to the growing legal scrutiny of AI-generated deepfakes in India, where courts and regulators are increasingly examining the misuse of artificial intelligence to impersonate public figures and spread misinformation.

Deepfake technology can generate highly realistic audio and video that appears authentic, making it difficult for viewers to distinguish fabricated content from genuine recordings.

The Bombay High Court's order permitting the suit allows Gadkari to formally pursue legal remedies seeking removal of the disputed material and appropriate relief against those allegedly responsible for creating, hosting or distributing it.