Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP from Madhya Pradesh’s Rewa, Janardan Mishra, sparked outrage by asking the public if “pure petrol will come from your father’s house”, amid the ongoing nationwide row over ethanol blending in petrol. The remarks drew sharp reactions from the Opposition Congress. 

Mr. Mishra, a three-term Lok Sabha member, defended the Union government’s ethanol blending policy on Sunday (August 9, 2026), while addressing an event in Rewa to launch flight services from the city to State capital Bhopal and West Bengal capital Kolkata. 

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“India produces 20% [crude] oil while 80% has to be imported from abroad. And right now, there is a war going on. When [Prime Minister Narendra] Modi-ji talks about blending 20% ethanol in petrol, a movement that’s going on claims ethanol won’t work, only pure petrol will. Will pure petrol come from your father’s house? If there’s no pure petrol in the country, where will it come from?” Mr. Mishra said. 

The BJP leader claimed that while the move is being protested in India, Brazil was making “100%” ethanol blended fuel and “all vehicles are running on it”.

“The automobile [companies] are saying that they have the engine and there is no problem as India has the capacity to run cars on ethanol. But some people oppose ethanol. If ethanol is not produced, where will petrol come from? Where will diesel come from?” Mr. Mishra said. 

Brazil, often used as a successful example of ethanol blended motor fuel by BJP leaders, currently has a 30-32% mandatory ethanol mix policy for gasoline. 

The Congress termed Mr. Mishra’s remarks as “arrogant words”, and asked “whose father’s house is ethanol coming from?”

“Rewa MP ji, whose ‘father’s’ house is this ethanol coming from? You’ve publicly displayed your upbringing and cursed the public! But remember, the days of arrogant words and injustice are now over! If you don’t believe it, just take a look at the Datia result!” the Opposition party said on social media platform X.

The BJP leader also faced a backlash on social media, with scores of netizens sharing clips of his remarks and slamming them.