‘Gigantic scandal’ triggered sackings: Congress over Yadav aides’ removal

The political temperature in the national capital rose on Thursday as the Congress launched a fresh offensive against the government over the abrupt removal of four close aides of Union environment minister Bhupender Yadav, alleging that the dismissals point towards a “gigantic scandal” within the ministry.

Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh claimed that the developments surrounding the ministry’s functioning raised serious questions about transparency, accountability and decision-making at the highest levels. He alleged that a series of actions since June 2025 showed a concerted effort by the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and the Rajasthan government to alter the boundaries of the critical tiger habitat in Sariska Tiger Reserve.

Ramesh alleged that any such change could pave the way for more than 50 mining companies, currently barred from operations, to resume activities in the region. He said the move could also open parts of the ecologically sensitive Aravalli Range to increased mining and real estate development.

Taking to social media, Ramesh cited a 20 September 2025 communication from the Forest Survey of India, which, according to him, had strongly opposed redefining the Aravalli Hills in a manner that could expose the fragile landscape to commercial exploitation. He added that both the Central Empowered Committee and the Supreme Court-appointed amicus curiae had backed the FSI’s position, yet the environment ministry continued to advocate for the proposed redefinition.

“These developments bear recall now in light of the sudden sacking of four close aides of the environment minister,” Ramesh said, alleging that the episode reflected “a complete collapse of due diligence and accountability at the very top.”

The Congress leader further accused the ministry of failing to uphold its mandate of protecting India’s forests and natural heritage, remarking that the “Paryavaran Mantralay has become a Pravachan Mantralay” — a phrase suggesting that the ministry had become more focused on rhetoric than meaningful environmental action.

The allegations came a day after the Congress claimed there was a governance crisis in the environment ministry following the removal of four officials associated with Yadav. The ministry, through separate orders issued on 3 July, removed the minister’s private secretary and two additional private secretaries. While the private secretary was removed on “administrative grounds”, one additional private secretary’s appointment was terminated and another was prematurely repatriated to their parent cadre.

The government has not publicly linked the administrative actions to the allegations raised by the Congress.

With PTI inputs