Gadkari Defends Ethanol Push, Says His ‘Brain Worth ₹200 Crore’ Amid Criticism

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari on Sunday hit back at critics over the ethanol-blended fuel controversy, declaring that his “brain is worth ₹200 crore” and insisting he knows how to earn honestly.

“I am not at all short of money and I don’t stoop low. My brain is worth ₹200 crore per month. I know how to earn honestly,” Gadkari said at an event in Nagpur, in remarks reported by India Today.

His comments come days after the Congress alleged a conflict of interest in the Centre’s push for ethanol-blended petrol. The BJP dismissed the charges, accusing the Opposition of making baseless claims without evidence.

Reiterating his support for ethanol production, Gadkari said at another event in Pune that the country’s sugar industry had survived due to the fuel policy. “Sugarcane cultivators and sugar mills have survived just because of the advent of ethanol,” he said, noting that India imports fossil fuel worth ₹22 lakh crore annually.

The minister also addressed concerns about E20 — petrol blended with 20% ethanol — which has drawn complaints of reduced fuel efficiency and engine wear. He called the criticism a “paid campaign” designed to target him politically, stressing that all stakeholders, including the auto industry, were on board.

The Opposition’s pushback came after the Supreme Court dismissed a PIL challenging the nationwide rollout of E20, which had argued that millions of motorists were being forced to use fuel incompatible with their vehicles.