Rahul Gandhi terms Great Nicobar project a ‘gravest crime’

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday mounted a sharp attack on the Centre’s proposed development project in Great Nicobar Island, calling it “one of the biggest scams and gravest crimes” against India’s natural and tribal heritage.

After visiting the island, Rahul Gandhi described its ecosystem as extraordinary and warned of irreversible damage if the Rs 92,000 crore mega infrastructure project goes ahead.

“These are the most extraordinary forests I have ever seen in my life — trees older than memory, forests that took generations to grow,” he said in a post on X. “The people here — both Adivasi communities and settlers — are being robbed of what is rightfully theirs.”

He alleged that the project would devastate vast stretches of rainforest and displace local communities.

“What the government calls a ‘project’ is millions of trees marked for the axe… 160 sq km of rainforest condemned to die. This is not development. This is destruction dressed in development’s language,” he said.

Calling for urgent intervention, Rahul Gandhi added:

“What is being done in Great Nicobar is one of the biggest scams and gravest crimes in our lifetime. It must be stopped.”

During his visit to Rajiv Nagar in Campbell Bay, Rahul Gandhi met members of the Nicobarese community, who voiced concerns over displacement and environmental damage. He said he was there primarily to listen.

“I am here to hear you and assure you that we will do whatever we can to fight for you,” he told residents.

The visit follows earlier interactions with tribal leaders opposing the project, where Rahul Gandhi had promised to raise the issue in Parliament and assess the ground situation personally.

The Centre’s ambitious plan for Great Nicobar includes large-scale infrastructure development, but it has drawn criticism from environmentalists and indigenous groups who fear it could permanently alter one of India’s most pristine ecological zones.

With IANS inputs