Hyderabad, July 9 -- Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari has challenged critics to produce evidence of any vehicle damaged by E20 fuel, dismissing concerns over the higher ethanol blend as part of a "concerted false narrative" on social media.

"Show me a single car that has suffered damage because of E20 fuel. What is being circulated on social media is part of a concerted false narrative," Gadkari said in an interview with the Indian Express, amid a raging debate over the fuel blend's impact on vehicle performance.

The minister, however, acknowledged that mileage could see a marginal dip as ethanol content in fuel increases, since the calorific value of ethanol is lower than that of petrol. He said mileage also dep...