Rahul Gandhi slams Greater Nicobar project over environment

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday sharply criticized the proposed Greater Nicobar Island development project, alleging it would cause irreversible environmental damage and displace local communities under the false pretense of national security. The accusations were made in a detailed video and social media posts following his visit to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands in late April.

Gandhi described the project as a large-scale commercial venture masquerading as a strategic initiative. He stated that the government's claims that the development is for defense purposes and to build a transshipment port are not justified. He argued that India is already constructing a transshipment port in Kerala and that the military's stated need for expansion at the existing naval air station, INS Baaz, has been ignored for years.

The opposition leader claimed the project's true purpose is to clear land for private tourism and real estate, including hotels and casinos. He alleged this would require felling approximately 1.5 crore trees and destroying extensive coral reef systems in one of the country's most pristine ecological environments, an area he said is about four times the size of...