Bengaluru, Nov. 14 -- Karnataka Minister Santosh Lad on Friday, November 14, accused the Centre of serious irregularities in the petrol-ethanol blending policy and questioned the BJP's silence over the issue. He alleged that the ethanol blending programme had turned into a major scam and demanded answers on the quantity, pricing and beneficiaries of the policy.

Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru, Lad said the Centre's guidelines had initially provided for blending five per cent ethanol with petrol, which was subsequently increased to 10 per cent, with 20 per cent prescribed as the maximum limit. He questioned reports of blending levels going up to 30 per cent and asked under which guidelines such a move was being implemented.

"If the pe...