'Gravest crime against nature': Rahul Gandhi slams Centre's Nicobar project
What's the story
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has slammed the central government over its ambitious Great Nicobar project, calling it one of the biggest scams against India's natural and tribal heritage. The project, which is estimated to cost ₹81,000 crore, includes a transshipment terminal, a power plant and a township. The government claims it will boost maritime trade and infrastructure while strengthening security in the strategically important island region.
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'Destruction dressed in development's language'
Standing in front of a rainforest, Gandhi said 160 sq km of forest is going to be chopped up just to benefit one businessman (Gautam Adani.) "It is not development. This is destruction dressed in development's language. So I will say it plainly, and I will keep saying it: what is being done in Great Nicobar is one of the biggest scams and gravest crimes against this country's natural and tribal heritage in our lifetime," he said.
Centre
Every single persoN on the island against the project
Gandhi said the government calls "what it is doing here a 'Project," but it is not one. "It is 160 square kilometers of rainforest condemned to die. It is communities that have been ignored while their homes have been snatched away," said Gandhi. He also said that "every single person" on the island is against the project and that they have not been consulted on the project nor do they know what compensation they will receive.
On-ground assessment
Millions of trees marked for cutting: Gandhi
Gandhi said he earlier met tribal leaders who have opposed the project. "The people on this island are equally beautiful - both the adivasi communities and the settlers - but they are being robbed of what is rightfully theirs," he said, adding that the project must be stopped. "And it can be stopped - if Indians choose to see what I have seen," he concluded.
Twitter Post
Watch video here
I travelled through Great Nicobar today.
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) April 29, 2026
These are the most extraordinary forests I have ever seen in my life. Trees older than memory. Forests that took generations to grow.
The people on this island are equally beautiful - both the adivasi communities and the settlers - but… pic.twitter.com/vYdBWdYfIJ
Project justification
Government defends project amid backlash
The government has defended the project, saying it will improve connectivity and promote tourism and economic activity. It argues that the initiative is vital for strengthening India's maritime security. In February, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) concluded that enough safeguards were provided in the conditions for environmental clearance (EC) to the Great Nicobar Holistic Development Project, emphasizing that there are no valid grounds for it to interfere.