Rahul Gandhi highlights Modi govt’s environmental neglect as Sonia Gandhi warns against Aravalli Mining Policy

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi Wednesday raised serious concerns over the Modi government’s approach to environmental protection, accusing it of promoting reckless exploitation of natural resources at the expense of future generations. His comments echo the strong critique by Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, who, in an article published on Wednesday, warned that recent government policies threaten the fragile Aravalli hills, describing the new definition of the range as a “death warrant” for the ecologically sensitive region.

“Ever since coming to power, the Modi Government has displayed a particularly venal streak of cynicism in relation to environmental protection, combining its proclivity to encourage reckless exploitation of natural resources with a callous disregard for consequences on the environment,” Rahul Gandhi said. “Can policymaking be so blatantly up for sale, to benefit the profit lines of a very few at the cost of the well-being of future generations and of the planet?”

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Sonia Gandhi highlighted the implications of the Centre’s revised definition of the Aravalli hills, recently accepted by the Supreme Court, which excludes hills under 100 meters in elevation from mining restrictions. “The Aravalli range, which runs from Gujarat through Rajasthan and into Haryana, has long played a significant role in Indian geography and history. The Modi Government has now nearly signed a death warrant for these hills, already denuded by illegal mining,” she wrote. She added that this policy change amounts to an “open invitation for illegal miners and mafias to finish off 90% of the range.”

The Congress leader has demanded that the government roll back amendments to the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980, and the Forest Conservation Rules, 2022, warning that the current approach jeopardises environmental sustainability and disregards the rights of local communities.

Environmental experts have raised alarms that the new definition could trigger large-scale mining activities, accelerating desertification and worsening air pollution across the region.

The growing criticism from Congress leaders reflects dissatisfaction over the government’s environmental policies, emphasising the urgent need for a balanced approach that safeguards India’s natural heritage while fostering responsible development.