BHOPAL: BJP MP Janardan Mishra, known for his controversial remarks, has drawn fresh attention by criticising those opposing ethanol-blended petrol in the country.
"Those protesting the ethanol-blended petrol, are saying that they only want pure petrol. When there is no pure petrol in the country, from where will it come, will it come from father’s house," Mishra said while addressing an event at Rewa Airport on Sunday.
Defending ethanol blending, Mishra cited Brazil as an example and termed the criticism as "unnecessary."
"Brazil produces the most ethanol in the world. Cars there are running on 100% ethanol, still there are no problems with the vehicles in that South American nation. Even the automobile experts and car mechanics strongly believe that Ethanol doesn’t harm car engines, still it is being opposed unnecessarily," he said.
Mishra also said India produces only 20% of its crude oil, while 80% has to be imported. "Due to global war situations, ships now have to travel an additional 18,000 km for oil supply. In such a situation, when PM Modi talks about mixing 20% ethanol in petrol, some people start protesting."
Mishra has a long history of making controversial statements.
In September 2019, he targeted then Rewa Municipal Commissioner Sabhajeet Yadav, saying that if the officer came asking for money, people should dig a pit and bury him alive. He had also urged people to keep spades and axes ready.
Two years later, in November 2021, Mishra made a peculiar remark linking Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s beard with houses being provided under the PM Awas Yojana. He had said that houses came out of Modi’s beard and that lakhs of houses would be provided as long as Modi’s beard remained.
The following month, in December 2021, while addressing a public programme, the BJP veteran had said that people should not approach him with complaints if a sarpanch committed corruption of up to Rs 15 lakh. He justified the remark by saying that candidates spend substantial amounts of money contesting panchayat elections and need money for future elections as well.
In February 2022, while addressing a municipal event in Rewa city, the Lok Sabha member had said that people who obstruct sanitation work do not deserve to live and should be hanged.
Two months later, while recalling his early political career, Mishra had said that politicians could establish themselves by slapping a collector, grabbing an official by the collar or even pulling a commissioner from his chair. He had also reportedly made controversial remarks about some Brahmins performing religious rituals, saying that they lacked knowledge and needed training.
In November 2024, while addressing a function at an engineering college, Mishra had said that husbands and wives today may lie on the same bed but express their love through mobile phones. He went on to make a futuristic remark that after 50–60 years, children might even be born online, raising the question of whether such children would be made of steel or flesh and bones.
In August 2025, he had claimed that Rewa was the biggest example of alleged manipulation of voter lists in the country. He referred to an instance in which, according to him, around 1,100 voters were listed in a single room. His remarks came amid a wider political controversy over opposition allegations of “vote theft” and irregularities in electoral rolls.
The same month, Mishra had reportedly made controversial remarks about Muslims. He claimed that during Partition, some Muslims who were supposed to go to Pakistan were retained in India by the Congress for political purposes. He further said that Muslims who remained in India were becoming a source of problems. He also claimed that Hindus had become a minority in around 150 districts.
