On World Environment Day, Rahul Gandhi launched an online petition accusing the government of using a defence pretext for a project that would mainly aid Gautam Adani.
Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi released a 16-minute video on June 5, 2026, based on his April visit to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. He stated that the proposed transhipment hub, airport and tourist township on Great Nicobar would destroy more than 1.5 crore trees and coral reefs while violating the Forest Rights Act for local tribal communities. Gandhi argued that genuine strategic needs could be met by expanding the existing INS Baaz naval air station instead. He described the defence justification as a lie and claimed the project would enable hotels and casinos, with the affected area four times the size of New Delhi. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge added that 1.92 lakh hectares of forest land had been diverted in the past 11 years. Gandhi invited citizens to sign the petition titled “we choose green over greed” and called for ecologically balanced development.
