Gadkari blames ‘import lobby’ for ethanol row amid scrutiny over son’s firm’s surge

Nagpur: Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari on Monday distanced himself from growing allegations over ethanol blending policy and the meteoric rise of his son’s company, saying he would not be distracted by "false accusations" driven by vested interests.

Addressing a public programme, Gadkari suggested that the backlash was orchestrated by an “import lobby” upset over the government’s push for ethanol blending in petrol.

“About ₹22 lakh crore were going out of the country due to imports of fossil fuels. Their businesses got affected and they got angry and started paid news against me,” he said.

Without directly naming the controversy involving CIAN Agro Industries, a company led by his son Nikhil Gadkari, the minister said he preferred to stay focused on his work.

“I don’t respond to such criticisms because then it becomes news. The tree that bears fruit is the one people throw stones at. It is better that we avoid it,” Gadkari remarked.

He reiterated his commitment to supporting Indian farmers and reducing pollution through clean energy alternatives.

“My aim is to promote ethanol blending, make farmers energy producers, and reduce pollution,” he said.

Dismissing insinuations of corruption, Gadkari added:

“I have not taken a single penny from any contractor till date and hence contractors fear me.”

He said such controversies were a routine feature in politics and claimed that the public could distinguish between truth and propaganda.

“People know what the truth is... I have gone through such things many times in the past,” he said.

The remarks come amid scrutiny of CIAN Agro Industries, which has seen a staggering rise in revenues from ₹17.47 crore in Q1 FY24 to ₹510.8 crore in Q1 FY26, reportedly buoyed by the ethanol blending policy and expansion into new business areas. Profits also surged to over ₹52 crore, and its share price on the BSE climbed to ₹2,023 on Monday, up from just ₹172 a year ago.

Analysts say the company’s growth has been driven not just by ethanol sales but also by “other income” and new subsidiaries.