00:01So it's over these findings of the Karnataka government that there's a huge controversy.
00:05You heard a couple of reactions there. Oil marketing companies, for starters, have completely rejected all of these allegations.
00:12They have said that, look, this was random testing done, maybe in some pumps, but no question of this being
00:17the situation across Karnataka.
00:19And they've said that the kind of testing that was conducted, we don't buy the results.
00:24The BGP, the Karnataka BGP, mind you, because the central government hasn't really responded to any of this.
00:29But the Karnataka BGP has come out to very clearly say that none of the testing centers can really be
00:37trusted.
00:37And that's why they don't buy any of these results.
00:40It's led to a huge showdown in Karnataka, but more than that, concern also among consumers on what's really happening
00:47right now.
00:48Besides that, in Kerala now, another Congress government, the Kerala government has said we too will conduct these kind of
00:56tests.
00:57If this spreads now across the country, in more and more states, if you see these kind of tests, the
01:02question will be, what is the result that will come out?
01:05Is it a politically motivated, a politically colored test, or is this the reality that E20 sometimes goes up to
01:12E31 as well?
01:39Good evening, Akshita.
01:41Yes, see, if at all the findings are true, and if proper tests have been carried out in accordance with
01:49the procedures laid out,
01:50and with the labs which have tested have got the accreditation to test it properly, then it's one thing.
01:58Now, the oil companies on the contrary claim that samples have not been drawn.
02:03So as BGP, we are not taking a political stand here.
02:06We are with the people of Karnataka to say that if the samples drawn have been proper,
02:11and if the oil marketing companies insist that joint samples be drawn and a fresh sampling be carried out and
02:20testing be carried out,
02:21the state government should not worry about it, because it's ultimately not BGP or Congress, but it is the consumer.
02:27So therefore, it is not about who is winning the battle or who is not.
02:31And whoever is guilty, whether it's the oil marketing companies or the end banks, if they are adulterating it, they
02:39should be held liable.
02:40Do you trust these results?
02:43Sir, right now, the test that's been conducted and what's been found, do you trust this?
02:47Do you believe what they're saying?
02:50Akshita, it's not about what I believe in.
02:52For any test to be done, it cannot be unilateral.
02:55You cannot randomly do something.
02:56You have to do it in accordance with the procedures established by law.
03:00And once you make a claim that oil marketing companies are responsible and oil marketing companies in turn say that
03:05the petrol banks are responsible,
03:06if they are adulterating at their end, you would not know at whose end the fault lies.
03:11So therefore, it is imperative to go into the root of the matter, let a joint survey or sampling be
03:16done,
03:17and whoever is guilty may be punished in accordance with law.
03:20Okay, so you're not dismissing it.
03:22Very clearly, you're not dismissing it.
03:23You're not denying it completely.
03:25None of that.
03:26No, no, it is, Akshita, because it's a technical thing.
03:28It's not about BJP dismissing it or Congress wanting to up the ante.
03:31Sir, I'm glad you're saying that, but the reality is that on this technical thing, there's been no reaction from
03:36the central government.
03:38Akshita, the central government did not react.
03:39It's the oil marketing companies who are there, oil marketing companies and the end petrol banks who ultimately give out
03:49the fuel.
03:50And the state government has got every right to investigate into the entire procedure.
03:56Let the common samples be drawn.
03:59You have the representatives of the oil marketing companies.
04:02You have the state government representatives.
04:04And then please draw the samples and do the tests and whatever the results are.
04:09And if found guilty, take action in accordance with law.
04:12You should not do it for political gains, but you should do it for the welfare of the consumers.
04:16Mr. Rajesh Kalapa, your opening statement, sir, the BJP is saying that, look, there must be accountability, that accountability is
04:22not on the part of the BJP at least.
04:25See, Akshita, I think as far as this ethanol issue is concerned, this seems to be primarily the brainchild of
04:32one union minister who has been pushing this.
04:35And there are indications that he and his family members benefit from this decision to infuse ethanol into petrol.
04:43Now, the point is this, that one, you have the first thing that they should have done is to have
04:51ensured that there will be ethanol compliant companies.
04:54The manufacturer itself ought to have made it ethanol compliant.
04:57But that has not been done without making a vehicle ethanol compliant.
05:02They have straightaway said, no, we'll go around with the E20, right?
05:06If you go to a country like, say, Thailand, you have the option of E0, you have the option of
05:11E20.
05:12That option should be left to the consumer.
05:14It should not be the government that decides, right?
05:17But here, the consumer has no say.
05:19As you know, ethanol has a hygroscopic nature which attracts water.
05:25And therefore, there are several complaints in the city that the petrol tanks are full of water.
05:32And so many people have had to remove the water from time to time.
05:36Now, that was an extent of E20 only.
05:40Now, if a situation has arisen where the extent of ethanol has been increased unilaterally to E31,
05:49then what happens to the vehicle?
05:51Because people spend lakhs and lakhs on building vehicles.
05:55You know, and then ultimately, if the wear and tear is so much,
05:58if the carbon deposits are so much, that the vehicle itself becomes redundant,
06:03who is going to bear this loss?
06:04No, but Mr. Kalapa, the BJP is saying they share your concern.
06:09No, it's not merely to say that thank you for sharing our concerns,
06:13but thank you for beating us on the head repeatedly.
06:17You know, what is the point of sharing our concerns while beating us on the head repeatedly?
06:21See, ultimately, you have to understand this, that there has been a…
06:24One minute, one minute, sir.
06:25One minute, sir.
06:27One minute.
06:27So, the point is this, that 67 tests have taken place across the, you know, board.
06:35And then all 67, they find that the ethanol extent is 31.
06:40So, when this is the case, can it be said that there is a mixing in each of these 67?
06:46The 67 don't belong to the same owner.
06:48So, let's assume there is an extent of mixing, that somebody is doing it to profit here.
06:53But it can't be the same case for 67 stations separately.
06:57So, this is beyond comprehension.
07:00See, the first thing is that there is somebody benefiting from the whole thing.
07:04Who is the person benefiting?
07:05Mr. Prashant, do you want to answer that?
07:09Akshita, the Congress strategy has been always hit and run.
07:12They make wild delegations.
07:14They follow Rahul Gandhi.
07:15He makes wild delegations and then apologizes in the Supreme Court time and again
07:19because he doesn't have proof.
07:20So, therefore, this sort of a hit and run is not the agenda.
07:24That is in the DNA of Congress.
07:25They always do that.
07:26They don't have proofs.
07:28They talk about vote chori.
07:29They don't have proofs.
07:30They want to have street fights.
07:31Even for this, now they are making acquisitions against one of the ministers without any proof.
07:36So, they should not get on to this theatrics and politics here.
07:39Instead, if consumer welfare is supreme, why are they refusing the oil marketing company's request
07:47to have a joint survey being carried out?
07:50Let the representatives of oil companies and the state government officials
07:52and probably the bunk owners also be present when the samples are drawn.
07:57Okay, okay.
07:57What is stopping the...
07:58You've raised a lot of allegations, sir.
08:00It's only fair to get the Congress's reaction.
08:01But I do apologize.
08:03We've got a minister with us on this broadcast.
08:05So, thank you, Mr. Kalapa and Mr. Prashant for joining us.
08:08I again apologize that we had to cut short that conversation.
