Union Minister Kiren Rijiju accused opposition leader Rahul Gandhi of running a propaganda campaign to discredit the Great Nicobar Island development project [1].
The dispute highlights a deepening rift between the government and the opposition over the balance of national security and environmental preservation in sensitive maritime zones.
Rijiju said the project is essential for India's blue economy and provides necessary strategic leverage [2]. He said the project has obtained all required environmental clearances [1].
The minister further alleged that external agencies are fueling the opposition to the Great Nicobar project [2]. This opposition, he said, is driven by propaganda intended to hinder India's strategic interests [2].
The friction follows criticism from Rahul Gandhi, including a video featuring scuba diving, which the government viewed as an attempt to undermine the project's validity [1]. The development on Great Nicobar Island is positioned as a key component of India's broader maritime strategy, and economic growth in the region [2].
Rijiju said the project remains vital for the nation's interests despite the political pushback [2].
“Union Minister Kiren Rijiju accused opposition leader Rahul Gandhi of running a propaganda campaign”
The clash over the Great Nicobar Island project reflects a broader tension in Indian politics where strategic infrastructure is pitted against environmental concerns. By attributing opposition to 'external agencies,' the government is framing the debate not as a domestic policy disagreement, but as a matter of national security and sovereignty.
