Opposition sleeping on biggest issue of India right now, says popular brand manager Milan Barsopia
New Delhi: Popular brand manager and digital marketer Milan Barsopia, founder of The Right Brain and former brand manager for Jio and The Viral Fever (TVF), has criticised the Opposition for ignoring what he calls the “biggest issue” in the country right now, ethanol blending in petrol.
In a series of tweets, Barsopia said that while people are complaining about reduced mileage, possible engine damage, and the rising cost of petrol due to ethanol blending, the Opposition is busy with other issues. He pointed out that petrol prices and quality affect every citizen, regardless of caste, religion, or political affiliation.
Barsopia wrote, “People’s pockets are bleeding. Petrol affects everyone... but Rahul is busy exposing the Election Commission and voter fraud in a country where everyone already knows politics is a rigged game.” He compared the current Opposition’s strategy to the BJP’s approach when it was in Opposition, saying the BJP had focused on everyday pain points like gas cylinder prices, petrol rates, and inflation, which resonated with the public. “Jaago Rahul (and the Opposition) Jaago. The country is awakening. It’s your chance to shine,” he urged.
After receiving criticism for neglecting the “vote chori” (voter fraud) issue, Barsopia posted a follow-up tweet clarifying his stance. He acknowledged that voter fraud is “a much bigger issue” as it directly attacks democracy but expressed frustration that the public and media rarely treat it as a priority. “The sold-out media won’t touch it and will blame Rahul, and for half the country, that’s just how politics works,” he wrote.
He added that petrol prices, unlike voter fraud, cut across politics, caste, and religion, and could be the spark that awakens the people. “Thanks to those who criticised me… it will encourage me to write and frame my thoughts better,” he concluded.
Why Ethanol Blending Is an Issue in India Right Now
The Indian government has sparked outrage after implementing 20% ethanol blending in petrol — marking a nearly 13x increase over the past 11 years. The move has been met with sharp resistance from vehicle owners, with many expressing concern about its impact on car performance. Pricing of ethanol-blended fuel also remains a key flashpoint as it maintains parity and even exceeds petrol in many areas despite lower production costs.
The key issues reported by consumers and experts include:
Reduced mileage: Ethanol contains less energy per litre than petrol, meaning vehicles may consume more fuel.
Engine wear and damage: Some older vehicles and two-wheelers are not designed for high ethanol blends, leading to potential damage to fuel systems and engines.
Rising costs: Despite ethanol being cheaper to produce, petrol prices have remained high, adding to public frustration.
With petrol prices already a sensitive political issue, Barsopia argued that the Opposition has failed to highlight the economic and technical challenges of ethanol blending, even as public dissatisfaction grows.
Ethanol blending - the biggest issue that the opposition is sleeping on right now...
— Milan (@MilanBarsopia) August 10, 2025
People are crying over reduced mileage, engine damage, rising petrol costs. Their pockets are bleeding.
Petrol affects everyone... no matter caste, religion, or political leaning.
But Rahul is… pic.twitter.com/LxjSyiVuaL
I know vote chori is much bigger issue... it’s literally a direct attack on our democracy.
— Milan (@MilanBarsopia) August 10, 2025
But I wrote this tweet out of hopeless anger… because no matter how grave this is, the dark truth is it’s barely an issue for the people. The sold-out media won’t touch it and blame…
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Tharoor junks Rijiju's claim that he agreed Cong is 'anti-women'; hails his party
New Delhi (PTI): Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Tuesday debunked Union minister Kiren Rijiju's reported claim that the opposition party leader had agreed that the Congress is "anti-women", asserting that at no point did he imply any such thing and that his party has stood for women's rights and reservation.
Reacting to Rijiju's claims, Tharoor stressed that the Congress is totally in favour of women's reservation and prepared to have it implemented right now -- without linking it to delimitation.
In a post on X, the Congress leader said, "I am sorry, but with the greatest respect for Kiren Rijiju, at no point did I say or imply any such thing -- and I have seven witnesses in the photograph who can confirm that!"
"'That was what he meant', our Minister says. No, sir, that is NOT what I meant. 'That Congress can be anti-women...he agreed in a way,' he added. I am sorry but I did NOT agree in any way," Tharoor said.
"The Congress has stood for women's rights and women's reservation under a strong woman president in Sonia Gandhi, initiated the Women's Reservation Bill, passed it in the Rajya Sabha during our tenure and supported it in the Lok Sabha when it was brought by government of India in 2023," he said.
"We are totally in favour of women's reservation and are prepared to have it implemented right now -- without linking it to delimitation," the Thiruvananthapuram MP added.
Rijiju's reported comments came while narrating details of the conversation he had with Tharoor on April 18 after the end of the three-day special sitting of Parliament during which the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill to implement 33 per cent reservation for women in legislatures in 2029 and increase the number of Lok Sabha seats to 816 was defeated in the Lok Sabha.
Tharoor on April 18 had shared a snippet of his conversation with Parliamentary Affairs Minister Rijiju after the Lok Sabha was adjourned sine die, and said the BJP leader conceded that “no one could ever call me anti-women”.
Tharoor had said women are by far the better half of the species - 'Humans 2.0' - and deserve representation in Parliament and in every institution.
"Just don’t link their advancement to a mischievous and potentially dangerous Delimitation that could devastate our democracy," he had said on X.
Sharing a picture of some opposition MPs standing with Rijiju in the Lok Sabha, Tharoor had said, "A little post-adjournment gathering of Opposition MPs in the Lok Sabha with our charming Parliamentary Affairs Minister.
"When Kiren Rijiju explained why he and his party were calling the Opposition 'mahila virodhi', it was pointed out to him that no one could ever call me anti-women! He conceded the point…"
While 298 members voted in support of the Bill, 230 MPs voted against it. Out of 528 members who voted, the Bill required 352 votes for a two-thirds majority.
The Bill proposed to increase the number of Lok Sabha seats to 816 from the current 543 to "operationalise" the women's reservation law before the 2029 parliamentary polls, following a delimitation exercise based on the 2011 Census.
Seats were also to be increased in state and UT assemblies to accommodate 33 per cent reservation for women.
The three-day special sitting was convened from April 16 to 18 to secure Parliament's approval for the Bill.
After the bill was defeated, the Congress had said the "nefarious attempt" of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah to link their "dangerous delimitation proposals" to women's reservation had been decisively defeated in the Lok Sabha, calling it a win for democracy and the Constitution.
I am sorry, but with the greatest respect for @KirenRijiju, at no point did I say or imply any such thing -- and I have seven witnesses in the photograph who can confirm that!
— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) April 28, 2026
"That was what he meant", our Minister says. No, sir, that is NOT what I meant. "That Congress can be… https://t.co/hkUsYgOY7a
