Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari on Saturday delivered a fiery response to critics questioning the Centre’s push for 20% ethanol blending in petrol, insisting that allegations of personal gain were baseless and politically motivated.
Speaking at an event organised by the Agricos Welfare Society in Nagpur, the senior BJP leader declared, “Let me tell you in advance, I am not doing all this for my own earnings, otherwise you may think something else. My income is ample. My brain is worth ₹200 crore per month. I have no shortage of money. I give ideas to my sons, but I do not resort to fraud.”
Gadkari’s remarks came in the backdrop of the opposition, led by Congress, accusing him of a conflict of interest and alleging that his sons have benefited from the government’s ethanol policy. Critics have claimed that Gadkari has been “aggressively lobbying” for ethanol production for personal reasons.
Dismissing the charges outright, Gadkari hit back saying he was the target of a “paid social media campaign” aimed at discrediting him and the government’s ethanol initiative. “This social media campaign was a paid campaign. It was against ethanol and it was to target me politically,” he stated.
The BJP strongman from Nagpur also emphasized that India’s sugar surplus is a looming economic challenge and called upon sugar producers to diversify their operations. Speaking earlier at the Indian Sugar Mills Association’s ‘Indian Sugar & Bio-Energy Conference 2025’, Gadkari urged industry leaders to consider ethanol-diesel blending as well. “Now there is no alternative to reduce production of sugar in India as in the coming days surplus sugar production will create a big problem in the country,” he warned.
Known for his bold style, Gadkari reaffirmed that his campaign for ethanol is about energy security, farmers’ welfare, and reducing oil imports, not personal enrichment. His pointed assertion that his “brain is worth ₹200 crore a month” sent shockwaves across political circles and became the most talked-about highlight of his speech.
