India, Oct. 1 -- Union minister Nitin Gadkari on Thursday defended the Centre's ethanol-blending programme, rejecting claims that petrol mixed with ethanol damages vehicles and saying the policy was aimed at diversifying agriculture by creating an additional market for farm produce.

Speaking at the inaugural session of the 'Bihar Investor Summit 2026: The Emerging Investment Destination of India', Gadkari said 4 crore four-wheelers and 20 crore two-wheelers had been running on petrol blended with ethanol since 2022.

"I challenge anybody to come up with the complaint that his or her vehicle has suffered damage on this account. Of course, those with vested interests may have some other story to tell," said Gadkari, who is the Union road t...