E20 row: Karnataka minister demands independent fuel tests

Bengaluru, Nov 11 (UNI) Karnataka on Wednesday intensified its confrontation with the Centre over ethanol-blended petrol, accusing oil marketing companies (OMCs) of effectively certifying their own products and demanding an independent probe into conflicting E20 test results. Mounting a sharp counterattack against union Minister Pralhad Joshi, Karnataka Food, Civil Supplies, Consumer Affairs and Legal Metrology Minister Rizwan Arshad questioned the credibility of the Centre's claim that petrol samples were compliant, arguing that the testing process lacked independent accountability. The state's central contention is that petrol containing 26-31 per cent ethanol was being sold as E20, raising questions about fuel quality,…