Rahul Gandhi has intensified his criticism of the Great Nicobar Project, releasing a video of his visit to the island that shows him diving into the sea, travelling through dense forests, and interacting with tribals and locals.
In the 16‑minute video of his April trip, he accused the Modi government of misleading the public by claiming the project was about defence and a transhipment port, calling this narrative a “lie.”
He argued instead that the project was designed to benefit a major businessman, specifically naming Adani, who he alleged would use the development to build hotels and casinos on one of India’s most irreplaceable ecosystems.
Rahul Gandhi launched an online petition titled “we choose green over greed,” urging Indians to support environmental protection over corporate interests.
He appealed particularly to young Indians, asking them to reflect on whether they wanted to inherit an India where rainforests were bulldozed for casinos, coral reefs erased from maps, tribal communities displaced from their ancestral lands, and the air poisoned, or an India where natural heritage was safeguarded, tribal communities remained secure, and progress worked in harmony with nature.
He claimed that more than 1.5 crore trees, ancient coral reefs, and irreplaceable rainforests were being destroyed to profit a single businessman.
He further argued that if the government was genuinely concerned about defence on the island, it should abandon the project and instead expand INS Baaz, the naval air station located on Great Nicobar.
According to him, the Navy had been requesting its expansion for five years, and this would serve India’s defence needs without causing ecological devastation.
Rahul Gandhi’s intervention comes at a time when the project has already triggered widespread concerns about environmental destruction and tribal displacement. His video and petition are part of a broader campaign to mobilise public opinion against the initiative, framing it as a clash between ecological preservation and corporate greed.
By naming Adani and linking the project to casinos and hotels, he has sought to sharpen the political debate, portraying the government’s defence rationale as a cover for private profit.
The controversy surrounding the Great Nicobar Project highlights the tension between strategic imperatives and environmental sustainability.
While the government insists the project is vital for India’s maritime security and economic development, opposition voices like Rahul Gandhi continue to raise alarms about its ecological and social costs.
His call to expand INS Baaz instead of pursuing large‑scale commercial development underscores his position that defence needs can be met without sacrificing India’s fragile island ecosystems.
Agencies
