Minister Nitin Gadkari filed a civil lawsuit with the Bombay High Court against Meta (parent company of Facebook, Instagram), X, Google, and several social media accounts for disseminating defamatory content.

This action followed Gadkari's complaint regarding numerous AI-generated posts, images, and videos circulating on social media. These contents accused him and his family of illicitly profiting from the government's E20 biofuel program.

Minister Gadkari asserted that this was a false, defamatory media campaign designed to intentionally damage his personal reputation.

In the lawsuit, he emphasized that the Ethanol Blending Program (EBP), which includes the E20 initiative, falls under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Petroleum and is entirely unrelated to the Ministry of Transport. Consequently, he was not involved in the formulation, promulgation, or implementation of the E20 policy, rendering the accusations against him baseless.

A fuel station attendant in New Delhi waits for customers. *Photo: ANI*

The lawsuit demands that social media platforms immediately remove all deepfake videos, doctored images, and related posts. Concurrently, Gadkari also requested that authorities take strict action against individuals and organizations initiating and uploading infringing content, and implement measures to prevent similar acts in the future.

The Bombay High Court has permitted Gadkari to proceed with the civil lawsuit. His request for interim relief will be considered during the next hearing. India's Ministry of Information Technology and Ministry of Telecommunications were also named as defendants.

Gadkari clarified that the civil suit against Meta, X, Google, and others is not intended to prevent public discussion or criticism of his actions or government policies.

Meanwhile, the debate surrounding E20 continues actively across social media platforms. Related topics have garnered significant followers and discussions.

The Delhi Taxi and Tourist Transporters Association has also announced it will organize a protest march to Parliament on 4/8 to oppose the implementation of the E20 program. The association claims that commercial vehicle operators nationwide are facing numerous issues caused by E20 fuel.

These organizations consistently clarify that they do not oppose ethanol blending itself. Instead, they are protesting what they describe as a lack of consumer choice. They have urged the government to allow customers to choose between E10, E20, and pure petrol instead of mandating E20 use. They also called on the government to release detailed data on the costs, benefits, and long-term impacts of ethanol blending. Furthermore, they demanded a reduction in the prices of E20 and pure petrol to make them more appealing and accessible to consumers.

The EBP is one of India's key energy strategies, aimed at enhancing energy security, supporting the agricultural sector, and mitigating environmental impact by promoting the domestic use of renewable fuels.

My Anh (according to NDTV, Cartoq)